I've long held to the hypothesis that everyone has an "Inner Geek." What I mean by that is that whoever you are, no matter how cool, there is something - maybe even multiple somethings - that you are a geek about!
I'm mainly a geek about church. When going out-of-town or away on vacation, one of my chief concerns is which churches I'll be able to go to. For instance, this spring I'm going to Malibu, CA, and you better bet that I'll try to arrange my schedule to visit Mosaic in LA. In addition the coming months will take me to Raleigh, New Orleans, Abilene, and some other places I can't quite remember right now, and you better bet I'm going to try and catch some innovative, missional church in the area. As a matter of fact, this past Advent season I tried to make four different church services on Christmas Eve. Alas, my wife's sensibilities and high gas prices colluded to reduce me to only two services plus the Pope's midnight mass.
I'm just a geek for church!
In my free time I read books about church, I write ideas about church, and I blog about church. Amazingly, many if these things never reach the light of day. It doesn't matter to me though, it feeds my inner geek.
I have other things that I'm a geek about too. The are the following:
Crossword Puzzles - don't ask.
Preaching - which has something to do with church.
Gadgets - especially if it's made by Apple.
So what are you a geek about?
Friday, February 16, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Hospitals
I’ve had a small problem all of my life: I’m a complainer. Well, not really a complainer as much as someone who gets very agitated when things don’t go as planned or when people – other than me of course – don’t do what they’re supposed to do when they’re supposed to do them.
I’m a planner.
But I am a planner in transition. As a matter of fact, several years ago I used to be teased about being overly planned in my ministry, now I get criticized for not being planned enough. I’m learning – in big ways and small – to allow God to be Lord of my life and stop telling other people that they all have to met my schedule and time table in order to be in good favor.
The reason for the change, you ask? The place I’m sitting now; the hospital.
Three years ago, when our first daughter was born, things didn’t go well for me. I was agitated by being stuck in the hospital room for 5 days; When I went home one day to take a shower, I got there and discovered that I had left my keys in the hospital; and Malia had to stay in the hospital an extra day because she was jaundiced. All of that doesn’t begin to mention the cost of “living” as a well person in the hospital; parking, meals, drinks, etc. As I look back on how much I complained and fussed I am embarrassed. I behaved that way because until that point in my life I thought that a good life consisted of making a plan and working the plan. I was wrong!
That episode may seem kind of silly to you, but it was powerfully formative for me.
The fact – which I can clearly see now – is that I was complaining in the hospital, yet I was there for a joyous reason, and very few people get to celebrate in a hospital. Just a few floors up from where I was then and where I am now, someone is in a coma, a man is slowly dying from the effects of a stroke, a daughter and son are letting go of their mother who is passing away from breast cancer, a child is suffering from some horrid disability and disease that no child should have to face, and a young parent is saying goodbye to a spouse and children. That’s what happens in hospitals; people suffer and people die.
How in the world could I then complain because the servers, nurses and doctors did not bow to my family’s desires and needs?
I think hospitals are good places to find perspective, to celebrate life and meaning, and honor and grieve the dying. It’s been a blessing for me to be here this week, not just because we are welcoming Katharine McKenna into our family, but because her father is being reminded about life.
May you find life somewhere this week!
------------
By the way, if you’re wondering how to find a little bit of perspective in the hospital, think about this. When I asked Rochelle’s nurse when her dinner was coming, she said, “They always serve us last, (maternity) because no one here is sick.”
I’m a planner.
But I am a planner in transition. As a matter of fact, several years ago I used to be teased about being overly planned in my ministry, now I get criticized for not being planned enough. I’m learning – in big ways and small – to allow God to be Lord of my life and stop telling other people that they all have to met my schedule and time table in order to be in good favor.
The reason for the change, you ask? The place I’m sitting now; the hospital.
Three years ago, when our first daughter was born, things didn’t go well for me. I was agitated by being stuck in the hospital room for 5 days; When I went home one day to take a shower, I got there and discovered that I had left my keys in the hospital; and Malia had to stay in the hospital an extra day because she was jaundiced. All of that doesn’t begin to mention the cost of “living” as a well person in the hospital; parking, meals, drinks, etc. As I look back on how much I complained and fussed I am embarrassed. I behaved that way because until that point in my life I thought that a good life consisted of making a plan and working the plan. I was wrong!
That episode may seem kind of silly to you, but it was powerfully formative for me.
The fact – which I can clearly see now – is that I was complaining in the hospital, yet I was there for a joyous reason, and very few people get to celebrate in a hospital. Just a few floors up from where I was then and where I am now, someone is in a coma, a man is slowly dying from the effects of a stroke, a daughter and son are letting go of their mother who is passing away from breast cancer, a child is suffering from some horrid disability and disease that no child should have to face, and a young parent is saying goodbye to a spouse and children. That’s what happens in hospitals; people suffer and people die.
How in the world could I then complain because the servers, nurses and doctors did not bow to my family’s desires and needs?
I think hospitals are good places to find perspective, to celebrate life and meaning, and honor and grieve the dying. It’s been a blessing for me to be here this week, not just because we are welcoming Katharine McKenna into our family, but because her father is being reminded about life.
May you find life somewhere this week!
------------
By the way, if you’re wondering how to find a little bit of perspective in the hospital, think about this. When I asked Rochelle’s nurse when her dinner was coming, she said, “They always serve us last, (maternity) because no one here is sick.”
Monday, February 12, 2007
A Great Day!
We did it! Well, my wife Rochelle did most of the work, but I was there by George! That’s right. This morning, my wife gave birth to a 7lbs 7 ounce baby girl; our second of the finer gender. Her name is Katharine (noble, pure) McKenna Palmer and she – just like her older sister – is special beyond compare.
We’ll spend the next few weeks adjusting to life with a 3-year-old and a newborn, so I may be posting less frequently. Be assured, sleeping comes before blogging. Anyway, I wanted to let you all know of our entrance to the second round of one of God’s greatest journeys; loving and raising children.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!
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