Hemingway on writing
I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit,” Hemingway confided to F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1934.
via copyblogger.com
Write simple, yet forceful.
I'm a missionary serving in Youth With A Mission, Tyler Texas. I teach some 3rd grade and School of the Bible.
My heart is for the indigenous of the Americas.
Visit my wife and I's personal website at SteveandMegan.org to learn more about what we do.
Angry Preachers or Gospel Musicians?
There wasn’t much that could have distracted me on the way to the train station on a recent Saturday evening. After two days at an outdoor music festival—in the rain one day and under the blazing sun the next—I wanted nothing more than to return to our apartment for a long shower and some blessed quiet. Lollapalooza was a blast, a great opportunity to see some new bands and observe Chicago’s diverse youth culture. I might have stayed for the day’s final acts, but I’m a pastor and my ringing ears and tired legs needed a good night’s sleep before Sunday morning.
Before I’d walked even a block from the festival, I bumped into a small crowd whose attention was fixed on two men speaking loudly to the bedraggled onlookers. One held a handmade sign that read—I kid you not— “TURN OR BURN!” He spoke into a bullhorn, warning the young people of God’s coming judgment and listing in vivid detail the sins that would lead them to an eternity burning in hell. The other man held an open Bible and vigorously debated anyone who disagreed with his companion’s portrayal of God.
via outofur.com
A pastor reflects on two evangelistic approaches he experienced after leaving Lollapallooza, the turn-or-burn and the missional. What's left is a great story which says so much with so little about the differences between the two.
Filed under //
angry
evangelism
gospel
Lollapallooza
missional
musicians
preacher
street
turn or burn
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Token Indian
I got a new teaching gig for November 29th. The only one outside of School of the Bible this year that I've done since the summer. Let us hope things go better than they did last time. This new opportunity doesn't involve a whole church service, but rather a 45 minute-ish discussion that goes by the name of Sunday school.
We've been going to a new church here in Tyler and have plugged into a few areas. One of which has been a Sunday school class called Merge, because it was a merge of the 20 something class and the 30 something class. Last week I got a call from the normal teacher asking me if I would like to teach on the 29th. At first I didn't want to because that's my first response to anything, let alone public speaking, but I know I need to take any teaching opportunity possible to grow in that area. So I agreed to teach, which is only going to be leading discussion.
Faith is what I'll be talking about. What is the difference between the blind faith that many attribute to Christians and the faith spoken of in the Bible? I'm sure there is a major difference and we'll find out together.
Divine foreknowledge and conditional prophecy is my next teaching in School of the Bible. That's a heavy topic and I should be studying it this week, but I've taken the 'vacation' approach instead.
One praise report I have is that Thanksgiving is next week and I haven't been asked to be the token Indian in any play or school program, nor have I been approached to partake in a 'reconciliation' ceremony. Amen.
Filed under //
conditional prophecy
faith
foreknowledge
Lifepoint
Native
SOTB
sunday school
teaching
Thanksgiving
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I have been productive
One of the newer things I've been trying this month is the idea of being productive at all times. That doesn't mean that everything has to be 'work' as we know it. Being productive could mean reading a good book or spending time with family. I define 'productive' as doing something that I and others can be proud of. It means not spending countless hours on the internet for no defined purpose.
Overall, I have been productive. I have hiccups here and there but that should be expected. I've set aside 30 minutes each night to do four things: participate in NaNoWriMo, read fiction, do a power clean around the house, and work on something related to our future ministry. Two other things I make sure to do each night but don't put a time limit on is spending time with my wife and spending time with God. I've been taking great steps towards doing all of this each night, but it's still not perfect. Being productive is a great feeling. I never feel like a day or night has been wasted when I do this. I may try to further this concept outside of November and do it all year :)
Filed under //
family time
God
internet
NaNoWriMo
November
powerclean
productive
quiet time
waste
wife
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NaNoWriMo Update
So far NaNoWriMo has been fun but moving along at an extremely slow pace for me. At this point, I'll continue writing but I don't think I'll be able to reach the 50,000 word goal. It's been good getting to a point where writing isn't as difficult once I get into it. Before, I would spend way too much time editing each sentence as it was being written.
Now I can write without having to worry about editing. That has always been the chore of writing for me, the editing. Now that I don't worry about it as much, writing is much more enjoyable. This book won't reach 50,000 words by the end of the month, but I think I'll get back into writing.
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Indigenous Is
11-09-09Indigenous is not a skin color,
Indigenous is not my nose,
Indigenous is not my eye color,
Indigenous is not my lips,
Indigenous is not romanticizing ancient teachings,
To appropriate,
To disseminate,
To cut to pieces,
And abbreviate in a research document,
Indigenous is removing layers of shame from your ancestors trail,
Indigenous is stepping up to the plate,
Healing and creating a new way for future generations,
Indigenous is standing tall,
Indigenous is standing beautifully,
Indigenous is an honor.
Indigenous is not my nose,
Indigenous is not my eye color,
Indigenous is not my lips,
Indigenous is not romanticizing ancient teachings,
To appropriate,
To disseminate,
To cut to pieces,
And abbreviate in a research document,
Indigenous is removing layers of shame from your ancestors trail,
Indigenous is stepping up to the plate,
Healing and creating a new way for future generations,
Indigenous is standing tall,
Indigenous is standing beautifully,
Indigenous is an honor.
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Obama: Tribal Nations Conference Just a Start
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fulfilling a campaign pledge, President Obama welcomed nearly 400 tribal leaders to his White House Tribal Nations Conference on Thursday and assured them that his support of Native issues is genuine and his historic summit is no mere "lip service" to Indian Country.
via reznetnews.org
Filed under //
campaign pledge
communities
Indian Country
issues
Obama
President
Reznet
tribal
White House
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My new motto this month: Be productive at all times
The definition of productivity, that I ascribe, will mean that at all times this month I hope to be doing something I and others can be proud of.
Whether that's spending quality time with my wife or God or taking some time out to read a novel. Both will be more productive than checking Facebook too many times each day. By taking part in NaNoWriMo and writing a 50,000 word 'novel' I will be more productive than watching hours of television, on the tv or internet. At all times this month, I hope to do all things that God, my wife, and I can be proud of.Comments [0]
Brazilian Indians find plane survivors
Indigenous Indians located nine survivors of a plane that crashed in a river in the Amazon rain forest with 11 people onboard, according to the Brazilian air force.
The nine passengers were in good health, the air force said Friday.
Of the two people missing -- a passenger and a crew member -- one is believed to be dead. The air force did not provide further details.
The plane was on its way to deliver health supplies Thursday when it crashed. It had taken off from Cruzeiro do Sul in Acre state and was headed to Tabatinga in Amazonas state.
The plane landed in the Itui River between the tribe settlements of Aurelio and Rio Novo. Indians of the Matis tribe, who live in Aurelio, initially located the plane and alerted the Brazilian air force, which sent search planes to the site.
Before the passengers were located, at least eight aircraft had been dispatched for the search operation, the air force said.
Members of the Matis, an indigenous tribe of about 300, live deep in the rain forest.
Other area tribes were helping in a search for the two missing passengers along the shores of the Itui.
via cnn.com
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Reasons why I want former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to run for President
*He didn’t raise taxes as Governor once.
*He vetoed over 1,000 spending items.
*He cut taxes 14 times.
*In a state dominated 2 to 1 by Democrats, he served 2 terms.
*He competed in the Bataan Memorial Death March, a 25 mile desert run in combat boots wearing a 35 pound backpack.
*He participated in Hawaii’s invitation-only Ironman Triathalon Championship, several times.
*He climbed to the top of Mount Everest, despite a broken leg.
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