NACC

I'm representing Rochester College this week in Louisville at the NACC (North American Christian Convention). It is an annual convention for the Christian Churches but this year the Churches of Christ were invited. It was 100 years ago that these two groups split and this is an effort to promote unity between the two groups. It was an incredible experience to participate in the praise and worship today with thousands of other Christians representing Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. We sang some songs with instruments and some songs were acapella. And today in Louisville God's kingdom got stronger.

TIGERS SWEEP

My wife and I have had a quiet "World War III" in our house the past three days. Her favorite team (St. Louis Cards) and my favorite team (Detroit Tigers) have been battling it out just 30 miles south of our house at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit. The Tigers just completed a 3 game sweep of the Cardinals and cruise to 51 victories (best record in baseball I might add). I also reminded Rachel of the past as well...last time the Cards and Tigers met in the World Series. Tigers came home with the trophy. Sorry, Rachel looks like Abbey will be a Tigers fan!

**By the way, If Clint Logue is out there...The Tigers are getting ready to beat up on the Astros as well. And any other team from texas (all lowercase)!

Abbey

Been Awhile

Sunday / 6.18.06 / FATHER'S DAY

Hope all is well! I had a great Father's Day! I got a bike trailer for Abbey to attach to my bike so she can ride along behind me...fun!!! The Pleasant's have been busy. We traveled to St. Louis last week and spent 5 days. I traveled to Ohio last Thursday and spoke at a father/son banquet and will be in Louisville at the end of the month for the NACC Convention (a convention for Churches of Christ and Christian churches).

Attached is my Lord Supper devotional from today for anyboby who might be interested. It wasn't exactly like this word for word (I didn't write anything down until after I gave it, but I like to save the notes).

Thanks for all the prayers!!! Rachel is now driving specific routes around town (with me in the car). She has special mirrors. She will get tested in a few months to see if she can start to do some simple driving by herself.




I Love This Tradition


For the most part, I love tradition. I love X-mas. I love the fact that you can look at your calendar and circle the date and know that the family will be together and everyone will be happy. And the date is highlighted with meals, celebration and stories.

I love tradition. And there are others. But one of my favorite traditions is this meal. I love the fact that we have this tradition of taking this meal every week.

But let me tell you WHY I love this tradition. It’s probably not for the reasons you thought it would be for.

I don’t love this tradition b/c of some obscure passage in Acts, that’s not why I love it or even do it.

I love this tradition b/c were pretty divided. Come’on let’s be honest, were a pretty dived people. Some of us don’t like the sermon, so we do other things during it and were disrespectful. Some of don’t like the worship service, so we wonder out in the halls and were not engaged. Some of us don’t like the education program or small groups, so we don’t participate. And some of us don’t like the fellowship hour.

But in the year that I have been back, I have observed something that we all see eye to eye on. Something that we don’t seem divided on at all. And it’s this meal.

And that’s why I like this tradition, it brings us together. The ONE thing that always brings us together is not our doctrine, it’s not our worship, it’s not even the bible…It’s Jesus.

Jesus brings us together…Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Good Books This Past Year

I'm an avid reader. I don't want a Jag, Benz or BMW. But what I do want (someday) is a room in my house that is wall to wall, floor to ceiling, books. I mean nothing but books. That's what I want. Every year when X-mas rolls around Rachel asks me, "what do you want?" And I say, "books." A year ago today we moved back to MI...what a year its been. The following is a list of books that I have read since last June.

"The Body Broken" by Jack Reese

"Plan B-Further Thoughts on Faith" by Anne Lamott

"Little Chapel on the River-A Pub, A Town and A Search for What Matters Most" by Gwendolyn Bounds

"Mere Discipleship" by Lee Camp

"The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion

"Walk On-The Spiritual Journey of U2" by U2

"A Reporter's Life" by Walter Kronkite

"Wishful Thinking-A Theological ABC" by Frederick Buechner

"Benedict's Way-An Ancient Monk's Insight for a Balanced Life" by Father Homan

"Let Your Life Speak-Listening for the Voice of Vocation" by Parker Palmer

"Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales

"Like A Shepard Lead Us" by David Fleer and Charles Siburt

"Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller

Thousands of emails and letters from friends and strangers when Rachel was sick.

And of course, I reread my favorite Barbara Brown Taylor and Henri Nouwen books!!!

These books, and many others, have shaped who I am.