Category Archives: Blogging

Looky, Looky, What I Can Do With My Nooky

Okay, that just doesn’t sound right.

None the less, I am getting hooked on Nook. (Barnes and Noble, PAY ATTENTION! I am your marketing guru and I am angling for free ebooks!)

I did get a Nook for Father’s Day and I know I am way behind the curve. Anyone with an Ipad would just yawn as I sit in awe with what I can do with this Nook Color. However, it’s new to me and I’m having a great time. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to put music on any kind of device and the Nook works for me because it is extremely portable, yet handy. It’s not the microscopic Ipod nano or shuffle. I can actually handle this thing.

Not only that, while I am listening to music, I can be reading my book.

I downloaded the Common English Bible onto the Nook for two purposes. First, I wanted to read the full translation and they’ve already released it on epub. Print copies are still months out. Second, I wanted to play around with highlighting and notes on the Nook. It’s a hassle, but it’s not as big a hassle as I anticipated. To highlight a word it takes some precision, which my fat fingers don’t have. However, enlarging the text can help. Typing notes into the highlighted area is easier than I anticipated.

As I noted before, I use Evernote and the Nook has an app for that. It allows me to keep my notes together, update them, and make sure they are always synced up.

This has been a fun device. I’m NOT downloading Angry Birds, though. I get addicted to games, so I’m keeping away from those addictions!

 

Epically Cutting Edge

In an age where we have devalued words, I wish to continue that tradition. ;)

My family blessed me with a Nook Color for Father’s Day and I absolutely love it! I can have Evernote as an app on it. With an upgrade, I could then access my Evernote files whether I am in a WiFi spot or not. I downloaded the Common English Bible with Apocrypha (since it is not out in print as yet) so I can check it out on my reader. I am even using the music app as well.

I am SOOOO “cutting edge.” If I just did this on an Ipad, I’d be downright Emergent!

1000

This, according to WordPress, is my 1000th post. It’s not completely accurate since I migrated from Blogger a few years ago, but I’ll use it.

THANK YOU to those who read. I really have found this to be a useful means of writing for me and I am glad for anyone taking this journey with me.

As I reflect on this medium, I am fully aware of the digital age and so many things going digital. All of my pictures are now digital. All of my sermon writing, class lectures, etc., are digital. There is a concern on my part to learn how to keep these things available should something happen to me and I want these things accessed.

I know more and more is going to the e-reader format.

Yet, I still love pen and paper. I will always have my books. I may finally adapt to an e-reader for limited use, but I love the page in my hand, quite honestly.

I will still journal with pen and paper and work on my messages in limited ways with my legal pads.

One reason I write with pen and paper still is to leave a witness. Digitally, this can all disappear if I don’t give someone my passwords! When I leave something with pen and paper I feel more “permanent.” (Yes, a house fire can destroy it all. Morbid thought…)

But with pen and paper somehow I am also leaving me. It’s my writing. It’s me.

So, as I enter the “post-millennial” phase of blogging entries, I hang on to both and try to embrace both. With blogging I have been able to enjoy a wider conversation with great people that could not have been afforded me with just pen and paper. So, I readily embrace this format. And I still have my pen ready to jot down ideas when I’m not near a computer.

Thank you for this journey!

Fun Things to Share

I am more and more a fan of Google Docs. Our church uses Google as the base for our email system and website. Our board collaborates with Google Docs all the time. Now, WordPress is helping with sharing those docs on our blogs.

It’s fun using these types of apps. I am also becoming a fan of Evernote, which is a free version of Microsoft’s OneNote.

These types of things are fun to learn about, then use as I try to be more productive in my writing and ministry.

Spiritual Fathers

The guys known as the blogging behemoth Near Emmaus (talk about corporate takeovers…) are doing a great giveaway. (Which I will probably be disqualified from for my opening remark.) ;)

The giveaway is the forthcoming Eugene Peterson memoir, which I totally want. I can’t say “deserve.” I just want the thing.

They ask that those wanting the book write on an influential pastor (preferably not named John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Rick Warren, etc.).

Piece of cake. There are two.

John Skinner. He was my pastor growing up, coming to our home church when I was in junior high. He taught me to pray. When I could drive, I would go to the church before school so I could pray. Pastor Skinner would be there and I would learn to intercede from his intense prayer. He also loved Bible quiz. His coaching taught me a love for the Word and memorization that was infectious. I wish I had stayed up on memorization! Sorry, pastor!

Larry Hale. Pastor Hale has been my spiritual father since college. I came to his church in college. He had just been elected to serve there. The church was a bloody mess and the only reason I stayed there was because of him. He knew his calling. He walked through some tough battles with people who were incredibly divisive and stayed the course. From him I learned how to walk with tough love, but doing so because you knew you were called.

The lessons from both men formed me deeply. Pastor Hale’s strong godly leadership got me through the early years of my current church. He recently retired and we now meet on a regular basis so I can download over 40 years of pastoral theology from him.

I blogged about a special service he held at our church where he laid hands on me to re-ordain me into ministry. I respect and love him that much.

They are men who deeply love God and love the church. They are true shepherds. Their models of ministry have finally moved me from my foolish desire to be a leader to my deep calling… I want to be a pastor.

Actually, I don’t want the book. I want the guys at Nearing Emmaus to send those guys the book. They lived it out. I’m not there yet.

Daring to Hope: Where Would You Give?

I am working through the passage in Isa. 2:1-5 for Sunday. I don’t expect much in the way of response on Thanksgiving weekend, but I have this thought:

If we would dare, as believers, to really step up and HOPE, how would we do it?

For instance, in keeping with the Christmas season, could we give away money to something to honor another person? Sometimes we have people in our lives who literally have everything. I could give in their honor to a missions project (for example).  I posted before about beating our defense dollars into something creative. So, what would that look like for you in the next year?

As an example, one temptation for me is buying multiple copies of Bible translations. Next year I want my goal to be ONE Bible (the NIV2011) and then give away money to Bible translators who are working on putting the Bible into languages who need the ONE translation of the Word of God.

Where would you give? World Vision? American Bible Society? Kiva? What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

The Apprentice.

Giveaway!

Mark Stevens has a giveaway going on at his blog and you need to take advantage of it. I already own both editions he is giving away so generously, so I have no dog in this hunt.

However, as an alternative to one of his alternatives, I would like to offer up endorsements you will NEVER hear for the TNIV, and probably the NIV2011

John MacArthur: “I commend to you the TNIV as authoritative, inerrant, and boldly stating what I have secretly believed all along: women can hold ministry positions in the church.”

John Piper: “It is my estimation that our church will be adopting the TNIV as the translation of choice for preaching and memorization. Since I do not have a contract with the publisher (as I did with that OTHER Bible) I want to make sure I have a clean conscience in endorsing a translation that cannot possibly bring compensation to my ministry.”

Mark Driscoll: “The TNIV is a HOT translation!”

Okay, Driscoll could have said that one.

Alternately, I offer up Zondervan’s position as if they were an NFL owner (namely, the Dallas Cowboys): “We stand behind the TNIV. We have put the best team on the field with the best coach in America. We are completely confident of this edition carrying the day and winning the big game for us. Consider this a vote of confidence in what we can easily declare our MAIN translation.”

Seriously, get this TNIV reference Bible. It is REALLY a good edition. I truly hope Zondervan uses that one for their NIV2011.