140 Words Or Less

As Brandon Ambrisono points out , there’s little difference between Phil Robertson and Pope Francis on the morality of homosexuality (it’s a sin) and how followers of Jesus should treat gay people (“we don’t judge”).  So why did Phil get suspended from Duck Dynasty while Pope Francis was named Person of the Year?  It’s all where you start from. Robertson’s GQ interview opens with his infamous quote about how anyone who likes an anus is “illogical”, which gives the impression of “us” and “them”.   Alternately, Pope Francis opened his most quoted interview of the year by emphasizing what we have in common.  Asked “Who are you?” the Pope replied, “I am a sinner”.   When you start the conversation with someone else’s sin, whatever comes next sounds like judgement. When you start with your sin, whatever comes next isn’t judgement, its empathy.   Word Count: 140

There’s a way of thinking prevalent in competitive environments like business or athletics (hello Miami Dolphins!), that in order to help someone become successful, you need to break them down in order to build them back up.  People require “tough love” to strip them of their illusions of adequacy and show them how much they need your help.  If feelings get hurt in the process, well, short term pain, long term gain.    The problem is that only non-living objects are improved by demolition. Nobody helps a tree grow by chopping it down.  Living things need to be nurtured with water and fertilizer and the occasional pruning, not decapitation.  Those who “break down” to “build up” reveal that they really see others like properties, not people.  Truth is, they’re really just scared of things that might grow bigger than them.    Word Count: 139

Faced with a scandal that threatened his political career, Rob Ford denied any wrongdoing. “ ‘This is unbelievable,’ he told the Star. ‘...Someone's trying to do a real hatchet job on me, let me tell you.’  But Tuesday, Ford made a 180-degree turn, admitting he had lied about the incident and apologizing for his behaviour... ...Ford says he is sorry about the incident and the fact he lied about it... ...‘Being in politics, you're in the spotlight all the time. I made a mistake. I made a major mistake. I really regret it'... ...'I came forward and admitted it. That's all I can do. I mean, I'm not perfect.’ "  You would think this was written today, but it's from  2006 “Disregard for the past will never do us any good.  Without it we cannot know truly who we are.”   - Syd Moore Word Count: 140

Most of my posts on this site tend to be about music, sports, politics, religion and God (sometimes all at the same time).  In the real world, I sell furniture for a living.  Once they found out I blogged,  I was co-opted as a contributor to The Upper Room Home Furnishings new website . So if you could care less about Banksy and Bono but you need some tips for designing yourself a pretty sweet Man Cave, just click  here . For my take on how to combine "His and Her" styles into one unified space, click  here . If room design isn't what you visit this blog for, don't worry.  More posts about Barack, Bands and Beatitudes will be coming soon.  

Banksy, the world famous artist, has been doing a month long “ residency ” on the streets of New York.  My favorite “exhibit” was the stall he set up in Central Park, offering signed, original Banksy pieces for $60.   The context in which we find things often determines how we value them.  The point Banksy was making is that “value” is really just hype.  Those same paintings displayed in a gallery would cause people to fight each other to pay $300,000 for them. Stripped of the cultural signifiers that tell us what’s “important”, the Banksy pieces appeared worthless.  Nobody thought these paintings were valuable because nobody expects to find anything valuable on the street.   I once paid $100 to see Feist perform at the National Arts Center but I’ve never given more than $5 to a homeless person.   Word Count: 140

I love music and I love arguing about music.  So occasionally I will be posting lists of my five favourite songs by a particular band or artist.  I expect you will disagree.  That’s what the comment section is for.   Let's do this! 5 Electrical Storm:  My totally irrational choice.  U2 themselves probably wouldn’t even put this in their top 25.    4 Where the Streets Have No Name:  The song that every worship leader wishes they had written and has spent their life trying to replicate.   3 Beautiful Day:  Hearing this song on the radio made me buy my first U2 album (And, ironically, what I thought at the time was the first “non-christian” album I had ever purchased. The joke was on me). 2 The Fly:  U2 is currently working on a new album.  If there is one song on there half as boundary pushing as The Fly, I will be supremely happy.   1 With Or Without You:  The Edge’s guitar work is always so innovative but it’s the s

A friend recently told me I should blog more.  My doctor says I need to spend more time exercising.  The school my kids attend would like me to volunteer more. My manager is wondering if I could come in early and stay late.  My wife wishes I could do more around the house and my kids want me to play with them more.  My in-laws want to know when we’re coming to visit.  My church only needs a “few hours” of my time.  There are “20 Must See Films”, “14 Can’t Miss TV Shows”, “50 Essential Albums” and “25 Must Read Books” I haven’t got to yet.  Personally, I’d like to upgrade my degree and write a book.   The mistake is to think that I need more time.  What I need is more wisdom to discern between essential and important.  Word Count: 140

Occasionally, people are crazy enough to ask me to come talk to them about life, God and other stuff that I spend my time wrestling with.  This past Sunday I had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts with the fantastic community of people at Stone Church in Toronto (www.stonechurch.ca).  I had a blast chatting with them about the prodigal son and why God doesn't love us like we think He does.   If you've got 40 minutes you want to burn, you can listen to it here: The Good News Is You Are Wrong

Normally, posts on this blog are only 140 words but I felt compelled to respond to a blog post by Kim Hall which has been making the rounds on social media the past few days.  You can check out her post here: Here is my response:   Dear Mrs Hall I recently read your blog addressed to all of the young girls on social media your teenage boys have befriended.  As a parent with young kids and a former youth pastor, I believe you have set an admirable goal to “raise men with a strong moral compass”. I also think that more parents should follow your lead and actively participate with their kids in the use of social media (or all media, for that matter).  It’s a complicated world out there so our kids need our help in navigating all the messages, images and ideas they encounter each day.  There is no such thing as “too much communication” between parents and their kids, so I congratulate you and your husband for using these conversations to instill values in your kids. I am al

Have you ever noticed how clothes fade over time?  The endless cycle of wash, dry, wear, repeat taking it’s toll on even the most vibrant of fibers. I envy m y kids and their drawers stocked with bold patterns and bright colours.  Tears and sweat erode away t he pastels and neons of childhood until nothing is left except white collars and grey pant suits.  Our lives and closets, like the Wizard of Oz in reverse.  When they asked us “what do you want to be when you grow up” our eyes lit up with possibility.  We didn’t yet know that “growing up” was just another term for “dying”.   You and I used to dream about changing the world but my Superman shirt started fraying so we donated it to Goodwill.  It seemed like the grown up thing to do.   Word Count: 138 Words

Every level of skill was on display at my daughter's recent dance recital. The more experienced, talented dancers performed intricate routines with crisp execution.  Others tried hard but tripped or forgot their steps.  Some performers inspired the audience to wish for a fast-forward button.  As a Dad, I didn’t notice any missteps or flaws when my daughter performed. All I saw was a beautiful young lady expressing herself through motion, dancing radiantly in her bright yellow tutu. I wanted her brief routine to last forever.  In the dance of my life, I am constantly losing the beat and forgetting my steps. Other people dance better than me. It’s been said that we should live life for "an audience of One" but God is not merely an observer. He is my Father and when I dance, even poorly, He smiles.  Word Count: 140

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes the following statements: Being angry with someone is as bad as killing them Thinking about committing adultery is just like doing it Loving your neighbor isn’t enough, love your enemies too When someone hits you, instead of hitting them back, turn the other cheek Never worry Never judge others Never call someone a fool God wants us to be perfect, like He is A recent survey by the respected Barna research group found that 3 out of 5 churchgoers feel that they don’t measure up to God’s standards. On a related note, the research also found that 85% non-churchgoers between the ages of 16-29 believe Christians are hypocrites. I have to agree. Either that, or 2 out of 5 churchgoers have never read the Sermon on the Mount. Word Count: 140

Growing up, our family dinners would often feature a discussion of the latest celebrity news; who was hooking up, who was losing weight, who was checking into rehab. We’d discuss “Bennifer” and “Brangelina”, marvel at Jon & Kate’s 8 kids and make Kevin Federline jokes. My Dad would inevitably put an end to the discussion of the personal lives of total strangers by saying “We talk about these people like we know them”. Last week teen sensation Justin Bieber got caught smoking pot. Yesterday we learned that Manti Te’o’s girlfriend wasn’t real. Today American legend Lance Armstrong will tell us that he used performance enhancing drugs. People will feel betrayed and hurt by these revelations.  Some will get angry.  It’s painful when our heroes turn out to be different then we believed them to be. It’s like we don’t even know them. Word Count: 140