Categotry Archives: Meanderings (look it up)

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Processing the Pain

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up)

I’m sure that there are some people who have chosen this path outside the walls. But for me, and for most of the folks I’ve heard about–it’s more like this path chose us.

If you’re one of those people who chose…sometimes I envy you.

It would have been nice to have just come to the conclusion one day that institutional Christianity wasn’t working the way it should, and just walked away in search of something more real. It would have been nice to have had the foresight and wisdom to realize this system wasn’t cutting it–that something more was needed–and gone in search of that “something more.”

This is a preview of Processing the Pain. Read the full post (868 words, 1 image, estimated 3:28 mins reading time)

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The Oldest Church in Texas

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Categories: church, Meanderings (look it up)

I don’t know why this came to mind this morning…but I drifted back about 9 years to when I still lived in East Texas. As part of a project I was working on, I went to different towns to research some of the spiritual history of the area. One of the points of interest was a particular church near Palestine, TX that claimed to be the oldest Protestant church in Texas.

The oldest church in Texas was actually a bit difficult to find, because it was not in the usual place you expect to find a church, and wasn’t found on the maps. When I actually found it, its location was very interesting, and very telling.

This is a preview of The Oldest Church in Texas. Read the full post (313 words, 2 images, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

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The In-Between

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Categories: changing mindsets, Meanderings (look it up)

I like to look at a thing from lots of different angles–both close-up and as part of the big picture.

As I’ve said in earlier posts…I believe that the church is on the cusp of a great shift. I think the growing number of individuals who are finding themselves detatching from institutional Christianity–although they often feel isolated and alone–are actually the beginning of a major structural re-shaping of the church.

This is a preview of The In-Between. Read the full post (684 words, 2 images, estimated 2:44 mins reading time)

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The Road

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), My Story

Every so often I notice some small thing from my past that I can tell was speaking prophetically to where I am today. Little signposts here and there that God has been walking with me.

I wrote this song over 15 years ago. Every so often I dust it off and ponder the lyric, because it so speaks to me personally, even now. Thought I’d share it with you today.

THE ROAD
by Jeff McQuilkin

I’m looking down a long and dusty road
And it’s leading to a place I long to be
I’ve seen this place so many times before
In my dreams
Somehow I’ve known it is my destiny

This is a preview of The Road. Read the full post (368 words, 2 images, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

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What It’s All Going to Look Like

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), Rantings

After the bajillion cards, letters and emails sent to me by inquiring minds all over the globe* with the pressing question, “What’s This All Going to Look Like? What Will This Re-shaping of the Church Look Like When It’s All Over???”….

I’m happy to say I am finally ready to give you the answer you’ve all been waiting to hear:

(drumroll…….)

I haven’t got a freaking clue.

This is a preview of What It’s All Going to Look Like. Read the full post (531 words, 1 image, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

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The Weekend: Rambling On About Nothing In Particular

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Categories: fun, Meanderings (look it up)

So I’m sitting here in Panera Bread on a Saturday morning, squinting out the window at the beautiful day on tap, letting my mind wander while my blog page sits open on my laptop, trying to think about what to write. So I’m thinking, Why don’t I just sort of write as I think? Then I can do two things at once. And since I’m trying to learn the art of multi-tasking…there you go.

Thanks to all of you who wrote comments to encourage me the other day while I second-and-third-guessed myself. I am doing a bit better. It turns out that the symptoms of second-guessing-itis can be sharply reduced by ingesting several large glasses of a fruity alcoholic beverage. But I wouldn’t know; I don’t drink. It’s kind of a funny thought, though. (Aren’t you glad I’m writing what pops into my head?)

This is a preview of The Weekend: Rambling On About Nothing In Particular. Read the full post (607 words, 2 images, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)

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Thoughts on the Paradox of Faith

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Categories: faith, Meanderings (look it up)

Having grown up in the Word-Faith camp, I felt like I knew pretty much everything there was to know about faith, and living by faith.

Then my faith was tested, and I found out how little I knew.

Over an extended period of time, I worked all the faith formulas I knew to resolve a situation in my life. I made positive confessions, declared and prophesied, praised…everything I knew. Nothing budged. And then I did something I never, ever thought I would do.

I gave up.

This is a preview of Thoughts on the Paradox of Faith. Read the full post (623 words, 1 image, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

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Second Guessing…and Third…and Fourth…and Fifth…

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up)

*Sigh* Time for some vulnerability here.

In times of transition, where everything starts to feel disjointed and disorienting, I have times when I feel completely insecure. As a recovering control freak, I still do not like the feeling of not knowing which way is “up.” I’m in such a time right now. I’ve had a time of respite from some difficult times, but I know God is shifting and changing me on the insides right now, and rattling my comfort zones, in ways that are very disconcerting. It’s a time when I feel like the sheep out of the pen, feeling very overwhelmed, desperate for some point of reference, desperate for the voice of the Shepherd.

This is a preview of Second Guessing…and Third…and Fourth…and Fifth…. Read the full post (347 words, 2 images, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

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What We Were Never Meant to Be

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Categories: changing mindsets, Meanderings (look it up), religion

So I’m working out in the gym this morning, and the song “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M. comes up on my ipod. As I listened and pondered the lyrics, I thought about maybe covering that song someday with a band.

And then I remembered a day years ago when that thought would have totally offended me. I used to turn the radio off when that song played, because I assumed it was anti-Christian. Now I have it on my ipod, and the title inspired my blog name.

This is a preview of What We Were Never Meant to Be. Read the full post (521 words, 2 images, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)

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More Thoughts on Music and Worship…

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Categories: Meanderings (look it up), music

So I’ve continued to ponder some of the things discussed on this blog last week, particularly about music and worship. I shared how I’m bored with Christian music in general, and how even “secular” music has been speaking to me…and I use the word “secular” loosely since I’m really getting rid of the whole sacred/secular hangup, and I only use the word now so you’ll know what I mean. Knowhutimean?

This is a preview of More Thoughts on Music and Worship…. Read the full post (803 words, 1 image, estimated 3:13 mins reading time)
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