Some random, disconnected thoughts on the first Thursday of March Madness . . . .
- At Good Shepherd, we have to take care that we don’t “brand the bullets & forget to brand the gun”; which means, as one expert told us, don’t spend so much time promoting individual sermon series that the church itself gets overlooked.
- Last night, Roger Federer demolished Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3 in Indian Wells, California, and I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed watching a match so much. It was a work of art. Destructive art, but art nonetheless.
- The more I listen to Jason Isbell’s Southeastern, the better it sounds. His songwriting helps me be become a better sermon writer.
- I am doing James MacDonald’s Think Differently and Andy Stanley’s Starting Point with two different LifeGroups. I thank God for both of these men and their ministries.
- Right now, I have an large, bulky knee brace on my left leg because I have a slightly sprained MCL. The contraption reminds of the time in my senior year of college when we played Duke in a dual tennis match. My opponent that day was wearing one of these knee braces and was hardly what I’d call swift around the court. And yet I still found a way to lose. Not that I’m still haunted by that loss 32 years later or anything.
- Speaking of college & sports, Princeton is on a 19 game winning streak in basketball and plays Notre Dame later today in the first round of March Madness. SMU is on a 16 game win streak and plays Southern Cal tomorrow night. Which means that, together, I am on a 35 game winning streak.
- Instead of praying for growth, I’m praying for revival, complete with signs and wonders.
- United Methodists get a little bit uncomfortable and sometimes defensive when your language sounds something like that of an independent church evangelical.
- My primary daily battle is against self-absorption. What’s yours?