7 Quick Takes Friday

1*

We've had a couple of weeks where I wonder what we've done but it seems like a whirlwind of non-stop going and doing which has included mundane housekeeping jobs like deep cleaning, de-cluttering, major gardeing, sorting, washing, storing winter gear for 7 etc.etc. Necessary and boring.

*2*

I'm considering turning this into a movie blog-haha- watched Brick Lane a couple of days ago. Very interesting flick about the life of a Bangladesh woman who moves to London as part of an arranged marriage, the backlash Muslim's experienced after 911 and a family finding their way. Until the scene about 911 I thought the time frame was many years ago, but it is about what is happening now. The film is rated "R" for a reason, so keep the remote handy if "adult content" is not on your list of acceptable viewing, but from a peek into another world-view, both religious and social, it is an excellent film.

*3*

We've been harvesting green beans- Green Lake Bush- and they are so good and crunchy we are just washing them and munching. Cucumbers, sliced and eaten, zuchhini and yellow squash has made it to the kitchen and we've had squash fried and sauteed. I have a terrific rustic squash pie recipe and that is next up. For now we are creating filling breakfasts of sauteed squash, rice and scrambled eggs with fresh parsley and a bit of pepper. Spinach and kale are still producing but the lettuce has bolted. We'll probably throw some more seeds in the ground. All the leaves it the garden are big, bushy and green with all of the rain we've had.

*4*

The Daniel Academy pilot project is a go-for-launch for fall. We're hosting a parent info night this Tuesday and working out the many details. The program is unique in that it takes a cutting edge structure (University Model) and is chock full of rich content, such as dedicated praise, worship, intercession daily, leadership and discipleship training, academics from a classical pov (history base, solid memory work, Word rich). I'm jazzed. Cheryl gave a beautiful devotional on Wednesday on the 23rd Psalm, which I was privileged to be a part of. It was a reminder to trust in the little things. Again, we'll be trusting in God to create something bigger than what we have asked or imagined.

*5*

We watched "Flywheel" last week, which was the fist production of the Kendrick Brothers and Sherwood Baptist Church in GA. You probably seen "Facing the Giants" which was actually their 2nd film. The church and the Kendrick bros started a film making division at Sherwood in response to a Barna report on the effectiveness of the church in reaching out. In many ways, while I've enjoyed the end-products of their efforts, what speaks to me is their willingness to step waay out beyond anything they've done before, take a risk, dream big, do something radical and wow. They made "Flywheel" with $20,000- it is now selling in Sam's Club. The budget for Facing the Giants was $100,000 and ultimately grossed $10,000,000. Despite bad reviews and a rating controversy it's still selling, What a testimony to truly getting out of our "comfort zones"

*6*

Bible Study-Genesis 28, Jacob's Ladder. Jacob, supplanter, deceiver, hungry for more, wanting what he is, by birth, destined to not have. God, the great turn-reality-on-its-head feeds the hunger, waters the thirst, honors those who seek Him, even when it's not clear what all that entails. Abraham was hungry for God, as was Jacob. Isaac, rich young ruler, stayed home and enjoyed the comforts of living as the son of a wealthy sheik. God feeds the hungry, and let's the satisfied feed themselves. Vineyard has a beautiful song, "Hungry." It's worth googling and listening on YouTube (or even better, get the CD). I'd link it but for some reason, I can't this a.m.

*7*

I've been spending lots of time of late talking about education and classical pedagogy and getting asked questions that I don't always have the right answer to and being far too opinionated about conventional, accepted ways of being. We've had some major disappointments, and even betrayals, in the past couple of years and I find myself tentative, feeling exposed, knowing that my own expectations, idealism and opinionated self have played a part in those situations. The natural inclination is to protect and defend but I want to grow and press in. I watched a YouTube interview of Kathryn Scott (author of the above mentioned "Hungry" song) and she states she and her fiance had a "burning desire to church plant. It's what they knew they'd been made for." And then she goes on to describe the 2 years of struggle and disappointment that they experienced in a church that was hemorrhaging disappointed, disillusioned people. And that's the way it often is. Like Jacob and Kathryn, a knowing and a hunger for more, a burning desire for what's a head. But a time of struggle and sleeping on rocks before walking in to what you were made for. And I can't help hearing the Veggies Tales song in my head that goes, "Keep Walking or you won't break down the wall, keep walking, or it isn't gonna fall." And so, we are gonna keep walking. I just want to walk with some grace. Prayers appreciated.

Quick takes, as always, hosted by Jennifer at Conversion Diaries (can't cut and paste today-wierd, but her link is in my blog list).

To what's ahead, to walking.