memorandum from captain random:

on monday afternoon thomas, one of my after school kids, said that he needed a copy of the boston globe for a school assignment. when i inquired about the nature of the assignment thomas said, "i need to cut out the right wing and the left wing." i found this statement more than a bit confusing, so i asked him to clarify. "the left and right wing of what?" i asked. "are you referring to advertisements or something?" "no," thomas tersely replied, "i am talking about right wing and left wing perspectives." "okay," i said, "what can you tell me about the right wing." "they hate change," thomas quickly replied. "alright," i continued, "what current political group embraces right wing policies?" "i dunno," thomas said thoughtfully, "the fascists?"

while sitting on a lifeway crapper yesterday, i read a couple of the brief biographies of emergent leaders that is included in gibbs and bolger's emerging churches. reflecting upon his early attempts to plant churches in san francisco, mark scandrette offers that "my retrospective assessment is that it is hard to create something healthy and sustainable during a personally deconstructive phase" (appendix a, pg. 305). i found this statement quite prescient. i think that a number of us who are involved in the emergent conversation would do well to spend some time reflecting upon this statement and asking the Spirit of God to lead us from a place of thoroughgoing deconstruction to a place of missional creativity.

i picked up a copy of lyle lovett’s Joshua, judges and ruth out of the bargain bin at vagabond records and have been thoroughly impressed with the album. I am constantly amazed by (a) the quality of contemporary Americana music, (b) the overwhelming riches of classic country – thinking of the carters, cash and even a little george jones here, and (c) the fact that most people back home and in the backwoods new england states leave these riches undisturbed in order to listen to hacks like kenny chesney, cowboy troy and rascal flatts.

i may or may not know someone who just named their firstborn son "ranger denny." for a long time i have thought that the creative name game was a little cracked, but now i've been converted! what wonderful combination of a civil service profession and common american name are you going to bestow upon your firstborn? kellie and i have settled on "crossing-guard carol" if we have a girl and "lifeguard lenny" if we have a boy.

in emerging churches karen ward of the church of the apostles in seattle likens the emerging church to "'a road of destination' where Christ followers, formerly of divergent pasts, are meeting up in the missional present and moving together toward God's future." isn't that a fantastic definition?