Quotable Fridays: Chris Davis on the butterfly stroke

“Me doing the butterfly stroke is like I’m unsuccessfully making love to the water.”

~ Chris Davis explaining his Butterfly stroke

Blessing the Impulses you already have

“Blessing the Impulses you already have.”
~ Michael Douthat on heresies

Who is my Jesus? Is e someone, that in knowing him, lulls me into a stupor and makes me feel okay with who I am? Or, in drawing me to him does my pretense drop that I’m ok and in no need of him?

Because I need him. I am in need of him. And jn acknowledging my need, I can expect him to not leave me as I am. Where I was, I did not think of my need for him. Where I was, I did not want him. I was king. Why would I invite a rival?

Justin McRoberts house show at my place tonight!!

Tonight I have the honor of welcoming a great musician to play at my house! I’m pretty excited to have Justin come. I first met Justin when I was working at Messiah College’s radio station and have been following his musical travellings ever since.

You can find out more about him at his website www.justinmcroberts.com

So, tonight a my place, which we lovingly call “The Nature Preserve”. We’re asking for a $10 donation at the door to offset his travel costs and to thank him for coming. If you are interested, and need directions, please let me know!! You can always email me at Warwick.fuller@me.com

I watched a father care for his son

It was after breakfast, and we were all biding our time in the Fellowship Hall.  Sunday School could have been starting soon, but we hold class in the Fellowship Hall and there was a lot of buzz as tables were being cleaned and torn down.  There was a lot going on.  So I was biding my time, helping out, as I waited for a good point to convene class.  We were talking about John 20, appropriate for last Sunday.

At one point, I was gifted with a small glance at a friend of mine as he was carrying his newborn son.  The look on the father’s face was one calm and peace, as he looked down at his son who was doing nothing but just being there.  There’s not much the son can do right now.  He can lift his head during “tummy time”, he can eat, and he can definitely fill his diaper.  But not much.  And here was a father, just enjoying being with his son, finding joy in caring for him because he cannot care for himself.

It was just a momentary glance, informed by knowing the couple and their son.  But on Easter, as I watched this unfold, too many thoughts creeped into my head.  But all came down to one remarkable phrase through a song, “Oh, how He loves us.”  I was teaching that morning on Christ’s resurrection, but most specifically on Thomas who wanted to see the scars and Christ who was willing to provide the proof.  This is a personal moment between Thomas and Christ and we are lucky enough to have had witnesses for something so intimate.  Christ is reaching out to Thomas to show him how much he was loved.  It is watching a father care for his son.  And it is beautiful.

Lillian the self-photographer

Of all the things Lily likes to do, taking pictures of herself is probably her favorite. It used to be swinging. How do I know this? Well, my space on my iPad and my wife’s and our phones are filled with pictures of the many emotions of Lily. For example:

Some have expression…

And some are not that successful….

When I ask her why she does it, she responds, “I dunno.”. She answers with that lilt in her voice that says she’s not ashamed I’ve found them, and she won’t stop because she likes to do it. She’s a parakeet, enamored with her own reflection. A bit Narcissus, a bit Sprite. She’s also 5.

A eulogy to death

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy’or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

~ John Donne

Quotable Fridays: John Donne’s Hymn to the Father

I.
WILT Thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

II.
Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallowed in a score?
When Thou hast done, Thou hast not done,
For I have more.

III.
I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore ;
But swear by Thyself, that at my death Thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore ;
And having done that, Thou hast done ;
I fear no more.