Part 2, "Crystallization of Contentment"

Last week I wrote about the idea of a “crystallization of discontent” where the realization that lots of annoying things are all linked together prompts you to take action. The opposite can also happen. You can experience a “crystallization of contentment.”

Part 1: "Crystallization of Discontent"

I received an e-mail recently seeking stories of sudden realizations that prompted a major life change. The e-mail came from Chip and Dan Heath, authors of many leadership and communications books I have read. They shared the story of Julie, an office worker, who saw a co-worker really enjoying her job. Julie realized that the co-worker held a position she would likely hold in a few years. Julie also realized that she would never enjoy it like her co-worker did. In a flash of insight Julie realized that many of the annoyances she experienced at work were actually all connected. They were part of the job, a job that was a poor fit for Julie’s personality. Julie had experienced a “crystallization of discontent” that led her to seek a career change.

Is Your Life an Ocean or a Ball of Clay?

“Some people see life like an ocean. They go where the current takes them. Other people see life like a ball of clay in their hands – something to be held and shaped and molded.” WaitButWhy blogger, Tim Urban, began a recent postwith those statements and used stick-figure drawings to illustrate the pros and cons of each approach. He concluded, “The question isn’t whether life is better lived as an ocean or a ball of clay. It’s about when is the right, and the wrong time for each one.

Thoughts on God and Marriage after 20 Years

Twenty years ago next Wednesday my father-in-law rang a steeple bell in a small church in rural Ohio. That bell began an hour-long worship service that included hymns, communion, and Heather and I vowing our commitment to each other “until we are parted by death.” In the intervening years I’ve recognized 4 important things about God and faith and how they’ve helped our marriage endure.

Connect Better to God, Reduce E-mail Overload

A few months ago I made a change to my daily routine. I predicted it would connect me more personally to some of you. I didn’t predict it would reduce my time-consuming e-mails or remind me that some prayers work better than others. I switched to “high-bandwidth” communication.

I Dream of a Church like Sears

I love Sears. Whenever I go to the mall I park outside Sears just so I can walk through the Craftsman tools section. Not everyone likes it as much as I do. They don’t get the appeal of looking at wrenches, sockets, and screwdrivers and imagining the amazing projects that could be. If that’s you, it’s ok. I understand. No, I don’t really, but read on anyway, because this story is about more than tools.

Intriguing Things that Make God Angry

This week I came across an intriguing phrase about Jesus in Mark 3:5: “He looked around at them with anger.” This wasn’t the scene where Jesus throws over tables in the temple. It was in the midst of a conversation about healing. It got me wondering what other surprising references to God’s anger I might find in the Bible.

Jedi Enter Religious Politics in Australia

This past week Heather and I spent some time away celebrating our 20th anniversary. The actual day isn’t until next month, so I’ll wait a few weeks to write about our marriage, the blessing it’s been, and the role faith has played in it. This week I want to share some news about Jedi and how they’re affecting religious politics in Australia.

Homosexuality and United Methodists in the News

Homosexuality and the United Methodist Church have been in the news recently. A May meeting of representatives from across the globe and the recent election of an openly lesbian clergyperson to the position of bishop have highlighted deep divisions within our church. In this week’s blog post I’ll explain what’s happened and what it means. And then Sunday at Access we’ll look at how Christians reading the same Bible come to such different conclusions about homosexuality.

Concrete Suggestions for Promoting Peace and Justice

I got to spend Tuesday morning this week with 124 kids (plus 68 adults & teens) that have been creating a musical they’ll share at our 9:45 and 11:00 worship services on Sunday morning. We closed our time together with prayer, and I asked, “What should we pray about?” Two young boys raised their hands. I called on the first, and he said, “the shootings.” The second boy put down his hand and then raised it again and asked, “Which ones?” It turned out they had two different shootings in mind.

Freedom's Great! My Friends Like Jail Too

Lots of my friends will celebrate freedom this weekend. A few of them also get excited about going to jail.

A few years ago I received an excited e-mail from a friend telling me about an event she was going to on the weekend. The e-mail concluded with the line “I might get arrested!” More recently I was talking with another friend that was excited, because in the fall he’s going to a prison he’s never been to before, one where “they had a riot a while back, and someone died.”

Inside ISIS Territory: My Conversation with a Pakistani Church Leader

Stories and details of last Sunday’s shootings in Orlando have filled this weeks’ news. Every time an event reminds me of the reality of terrorists I wonder, what can we do? I’m skeptical of simple solutions, and I’m skeptical of solutions offered by people living far away from the daily reality of terrorism. That’s why I took it seriously when Humphrey, a church leader that lives in Pakistan and regularly travels into ISIS- and Taliban-controlled territory, sat across from me at lunch a few weeks ago and said, “What we really need is more love.”