Priority List

Hilarity!!!

Please note the typo in priority #3

Read more here in deadspin.

Love is an Orientation - Book Review

“Every stereotype can be broken with a face, and every face has a story. Even leaders in both the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GBLT) and the Christian community tell me they know that something needs to change -- but nothing is changing because we’ve all been conditioned to dig in and fight. So where are we to go from here?”
-Andrew Marin Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community

In his book Love is an Orientation, Andrew Marin takes us along with him on his immersion into the gay neighborhood “Boystown” in Chicago. Examining the current reality of the relationship (or lack thereof) between the Christian community and the GBLT community Marin seeks to build bridges between the two camps. Marin teaches from his experiences in the gay community in a way that is both thought provoking and entertaining. If you’re looking to find scientific answers to the “gay-gene” question, you’re gonna be out of luck here. But if you’re looking for helpful insight into the lives of gay men and women, along practical tools to authentically reflect the love of Christ to those you encounter (even in church..surprise!) this is a great place to start. Be warned this book will challenge your thinking and force yourself to question how you view people. Do you really love people as God does them? Remember God made them.

Although sometimes a bit theologically messy and seemingly unorganized, Love is an Orientation did a great job of resourcing me in my ability to relate to, understand and overcome the issues surrounding the Gay/Faith culture wars. The ultimate goal being that my interaction with gays men and women would be a “wonderful opportunity to prove my faith by reclaiming the word love as I tangibly live out all I believe in Christ.”

Andrew Marin's blog
The Marin Foundation

Summer Reading

I try to read way to many books in the summertime. Here's what I've read so far, what I'm reading now and what looms on the horizon.

Read:
The Principle of the Path - Andy Stanley
Did a review here
Silos, Politic and Turf Wars - Partick Lencioni
I love Lencioni's stuff. I read this in one 3-hour sitting.
Three bags full: A Sheep Detective Story - Leonie Swann This is the one fiction book I've read so far. This book is like nothing I've ever read. It took me a while to get into it, but after a while I couldn't put it down. Entertaining

Reading:
The Reason for God - Timothy Keller
Really good apologetic book. I'm about 100 pages in. I have to read this one a little slow to make sure I digest it, but so far it's one of the best apologetic books I've ever read.
Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community - Andrew Marin
Very interesting so far. Andrew Marin has quite the stories of his interaction with the Gay community and helping them get a taste of who God is. Very challenging. I'll do a review of this one when I'm finished
I Samuel - Dale Ralph Davis
I think I've mentioned Davis's commentaries before, but let me just say it again. They are amazing. Get one.

Hoping to read:
When People are Big and God is Small - Welch
Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands - Paul Tripp
More than Me - Jim Peterson

Bozeman Police Reports - May 28, 2009

* A caller wanted information about a duck rescue that occurred Friday or Saturday on Durston Road.

* A man tried to pay his bill with a “ridiculously fake $100 bill” at an establishment on East Main Street. The bill was later determined to be genuine.

* A farmer was injured after a bull sat on him around 2:30 p.m.

Jonah talk

I just dumped a talk I did at CRU this spring into Wordle.net. It highlights words based on the number of time I used them....and makes it cool looking. Kind of interesting.

Need Caption Please

I need a caption for this picture. This is Jenna on the left and her friend Lira on the right. The winner will get a prize...or at least my appreciation

Update: Jenna is still cute

This is mostly for my sister and brother-in-law in Scotland.

1976 'Swine Flu' Public Service Announcements

The Principle of the Path - Andy Stanley

With honesty, humility and humor, Andy Stanley helps us connect our thinking to the direction we set for our lives. In The Principle of the Path a relatively short and easy to read book he tackles the complex issues of decision making and life direction and clarifies it for us in a way that is both accessible and motivating. The major theme of the book is the well packaged phrase “Direction -- not intention -- determines our destination.” The basic idea is that often we (basically smart people) end up far from where we intended to be originally. Andy suggests that we tend to make a lot of little decisions that end up placing us on the wrong path headed in the wrong decision. Our direction, not our good intentions, determines our destination.

I read this book while doing some traveling on a plane, and I was a little bit embarrassed by the “self help” look of the cover and title, but The Principle of the Path has helped me slow down from my harried pace and reflect on the parts of my life that need to be adjusted. The parts that if I don’t adjust are going to cause me to end up at a very different destination than I intended. The principles in this book apply to all parts of life; relationship, health, parenting, marriage, work, church and more.

The Principle of the Path would be a insightful and challenging book for someone who needs to reevaluate the direction their life is headed. But, if what you want is a straight up leadership book then I recommend Andy’s The Next Generation Leader for a more helpful read before jumping to this one.

Nick Thune

If you think this is funny you're in your late 20's early 30's. This is courtesy of Donald Miller's blog.

It's her birthday!!!

Here is a post that I wrote about Jody (my wife) to celebrate her birthday 3 years ago.

Today (technically 1.5 hours from now) is her birthday again. A few years older, wiser and even more beautiful!

Jody, today we celebrate you! We revel in the fact that you are uniquely handcrafted by God. You are lovely!

Happy Birthday my dear!

How to get free books

My first free book is on it's way to me thanks to this post by Matt Mikalatos. All I had to do is swear on my life that I would write a 200 word review and post it on my blog and a retail site like Amazon.com.

I ordered a copy of Andy Stanley new book, The Principle of the Path.

I think Andy Stanley is a brilliant spiritual leader, so I'm excited to read this book. I'll let you know when I'm done.

Fast Food Folk Song (at the Taco Bell Drive-Thru)

That's what she said.

I'm on Dad patrol this weekend while Jody speaks at our womens retreat up in Big Sky. Last night I was getting Jenna ready for bed and this interaction took place. Keep in mind she's only a little over two years old.

Me: Which pj's do you want to wear tonight?

Jenna (admiring the options within the drawer): ummmm....striped ones!!!

Me: ok

Jenna (holds pj's up, inspect them and declares her thought): That's a good option!