Deurty

As a follower of Jesus my life should probably revolve around Holy Week. But, Our family's year revolves around a week up north at a lake so small it has a couple of names: "Lake View" or "Shield Lake" or for our family: "Lake Pew." I began going to this lake with my family when I was a very very young boy. My dad went to this lake when he was younger with his mom and dad. Now we go year after year and rent the same cottage I grew up going to. As this week rapidly approaches we are all filled with excitement. The visit to the little local Wesleyan church, the hot dogs and smores, the time with extended family, my sisters and brother in laws, golf, walks around the lake, wooden swings, shuffle board, "shooting the tube," fishing, swimming, family biathlon (took last place last year), reading, playing with the kids,...you get the picture. We go - we have a blast - one month later we begin to dream about the next year. We talk about that exp...

My grandma Deur used to say the above quote when she really wanted to say she liked something. I am saying it looking at this upcoming forecast for the weekend! Sunday is looking dry and nice. (Or as they would say in Australia: "fine.") So grab your lawn chair and blankie and come join us at 10 am at Mulligan's Hollow. The Tigers are on a roll baby! sd

Last night Vicki and I saw "The Police" is concert in Detroit. It was an awesome show and it transported me back twenty years. They sounded great and the concert was well done. "Fiction Plane" opened and I really enjoyed their sound. I loved it! Is a humiliating kick in the crotch. sd

Tomorrow looks nice! We are heading to Mulligan's Hollow tomorrow for an outdoor gathering. We are meeting at 10 am. I wanted to do something with Fruit Stripe gum, but it is impossible to find a store that carries it - so hopefully there will be a miracle and I will be chewing that flavor bursting gum during the message. See you tomorrow with wonderful weather! sd

Frederick Buechner, in his collection of sermons, writes: "Be kind enough to yourselves not just to play it safe with your lives for your own sakes, but to spend at least part of your lives like drunken sailors - for God's sake, if you believe in God, for the world's sake, if you believe in the world - and thus to come alive truly." I love that challenge to show kindness to yourself by shelving apprehension and going for the gusto. It is a challenge that I needed today. The pirate's life for me, sd

Robert Frost, the great American poet, once said, "I don't live in a library and I am not a terrible reader, but my life has been a book life." Another similar quote from him: "Libraries are in the same game I'm in. That's the game of surrounding people with books - getting people coated with books." Over the past year I have not lived a "book life." I have read to study not to be studied. I feel the results. So, I have decided to coat myself with books this summer. The following books I have already read: Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr This book was excellent. Under the unpredictable plant by Eugene Peterson Fantastic book on "being" a pastor. Sex God by Rob Bell This book we are going through as a life group. Very good. Here are books I am currently reading: Secrets in the Dark by Frederick-Buechner So far I have really enjoyed this life giving book. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky I have just started this. Myth of...

Our high school group (Fugo) is serving in NYC for the week. To learn more about their trip and to get updates go here: Fugo in NYC. Also, leave an encouraging comment for them. :) Loving the Tigers! sd

I am appreciating words like "faithfulness" and "devotion" more and more. There is something about being steady, being there, showing up, and cultivating a long haul image that excites me. I think that I have been someone who tends to look to be flashy. Flashy gets noticed, but I feel in my cells a pull toward greater faithfulness as the discipline of transformation. I came across a great little poem by Robert Frost about devotion and it gives a picture of what I'm feeling... DEVOTION "The heart can think of no devotion Greater than being shore to the ocean - Holding the curve of one's position, Counting an endless repetition." Holding & counting, sd