bierkergaard

I was hanging out with a buddy last night at a place in Lancaster City called The Fridge . Basically, a beer and pizza joint where both the beer and pizza are a notch above. The beer and pizza are pricey but it is locally owned and I would rather support the proprietors and staff than some chain. The building looks like a converted transmission shop though. Cinderblocks. It is close to Franklin and Marshall and gets its share of these upscale children of the 1%. No Natty Ice for these collegians. Some of them are probably wine drinkers. Since the inside was packed and loud, I headed outside to the sidewalk seating to wait for my friend. It wound up being more challenging to get an inside seat at the wire-mesh table spanning the sidewalk in front of the establishment than I thought. There was only one entrance to the chairs and inside table and the route was packed with people like bullets in a clip. I had considered that they migh...

Matthew 7:24 Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. I have a peculiar pattern of watching TV. I fall asleep to CSPAN and awaken sometimes late night/early morning and watch a bit. I like to think that my mind is screening what is on and if it sounds interesting I wake up and watch. It also creates fairly policy wonkish dreams.... Last night, there was a taped program, at Columbia University, with a panel of reporters reflecting on the Boston bombings....on at 3:00 in the morning. It was a poignant discussion, tragedy has a way of drawing the deepest questions of life to the surface in a way that good times just glosses over. Pleasure is passing in this world, pain can be permanent. Questions like cracks in the facade of our faux philosophies that look good until the storms hit. Which they will.   A peering into themes of God, the good, the evil,...

I have been praying recently that God would let me share the Gospel in a real way. Sometimes sharing the faith is driven by guilt, duty, and a host of other negatively-based reasons. I particularly despise sharing Jesus like He is a commodity, a peace pill for all that ills--like Vicodin. A God who expects little but gives relief. Pharmatheology. I have some to see that the Lord experienced every emotion that we do and as such creates a spectrum of spiritual connection to all people. Joy, sorrow, loneliness, happiness, anger, frustration, fear, hope, affection (etc.). There are many portals to the soul.  That is our bridge to people if we dare walk it, and take time to go into the world and listen. On Sunday, we had a free for all at Church where people brought Bible verses, sections of book chapters, and poetry, to read rather than our typical dicussion and conversation about a Bible issue. We are a pretty open lot to start...

Psalm 35:27 "Let the Lord be exalted, who delights in the prosperity of his servant." What is "prosperity?" Is it threads of life weaved into a bright outcome? a full cup? ample riches? worldly applause? an unbroken circle? No! these are often a snare; received without gratitude; dimming the soul to its nobler destinies. Often spiritually, it rather means God taking us by the hand into the lowly Valleys of Humiliation; leading us as He did His servant Job of old; out of his sheep, oxen, camels, health, wealth, children; in order that we may be brought before Him in the dust, and say, "Blessed be His holy name!" John MacDuff Perhaps the most lethal malady of a soul is a lack of gratitude. Taking God's good gifts for granted but then whining like Divas when adversity comes our way. Yesterday, after getting beat up both on the way up and down the mountain when biking, for there is no escape from rigor even downhill in mountain ...