Home for us after a terrific trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Every morning, now, I read Chad Bird’s comments on X-Twitter, and watch his 90-minute teaching on the Old Testament.
He’s a former professor at Concordia Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, a Lutheran, who had a massive fall from too-early success in the theological world.
He’s humble, wise, deeply repentant, and I’ve learned so much from him in the two months since I read his first book.
This is lengthy, but, oh so wise:
Chad Bird
@birdchadlouis
The Dumpster Sermon
I heard one of the shortest but most memorable sermons not from a pulpit but from beside a dumpster. I had pulled my semi up behind a convenience store to grab a cup of coffee. As I climbed out of the truck, a woman walked up to me. Her face burned a deep brown. Stained jeans and sockless shoes and weary eyes. “Sir,” she said, “I hate to bother you, but can you help me?” Pointing over her shoulder, she said her husband was in the dumpster. They were hungry and he was digging for food. Could I give them anything?
When I came out of the store a few minutes later, she and her husband were standing beside my truck. I handed them the two submarine sandwiches I’d bought inside. The man took them, handed them to his wife, and stretched out his hand. I shook it, feeling the grime and grease of the dumpster on his palm. On his weathered face glowed a gratitude more profound than anything I’ve ever witnessed. “Thank you, sir,” he said, “thank you so much. We don’t have hardly nothing. Just got to town a few nights ago. Been sleeping under the bridge over there. But God, he always seems to send people to help us out. Jesus been good to us that way. He always provides.” And thanking me again, they walked away, out of my life, but never from my memory and gratitude.
A man who had no address, no car, no savings account, who was about to eat out of a trash can—he told me that “Jesus been good to us that way.”
Every time I think of that dumpster sermon, uttered by a homeless prophet, I remind myself that wisdom lurks in the outer places. Rich gratitude among the impoverished and forgotten. Jesus been good to us that way. Yes, he has. And Jesus was good to me in sending that man into my life for a few brief moments. He reminded me that God has friends in low places. In low places profound faith flourishes. And from those low places resounds the voice of God from the lips of his people.
Thank God for pastors, for church leaders, for bestselling Christian authors, for all those in positions of prominence whom Christ uses to proclaim his Good News of salvation for the world. But thank God too for people who have never read a word of Martin Luther or Karl Barth but whose lives are inked through and through with the theology of the cross. They drive tractors, flip burgers, shingle roofs, and, yes, dig through dumpsters.
Each of them embodies the earthiness of theology. The same God born in a barn and laid in a feed trough is swaddled in the ordinaries of their unawesome lives. The same God who had nowhere to lay his head sleeps with them under interstate bridges. The same God who was blackballed by the religious highbrows of his day sits and mourns with those who have been broken by the church. The same God who died between two crooks hangs out with cons and ex-cons today. The same God who let a prostitute weep on his feet and dry them with her hair embraces and kisses believing women today who have been entangled in the sex trade. He is the God of the cross who is found where the world doesn’t seek him—or, all too often, where the church doesn’t expect him to be. Jesus is there for them, for us, for all people. He is a God of surprises, whose ways shock us into expanding our horizons. The laborers in his vineyard may wear suits and ties, boots and jeans, or leather and tats. But they are all his laborers. Or more precisely, his children. God’s family is full of misfits. Always has been, always will be. For our Father’s family is founded on grace, not goodness.
-Adapted from my book, Your God Is Too Glorious (2nd Edition), available at http://shop.1517.org or Amazon
That is a good reminder about taking a picture of whatever, before taking it apart!
We are enjoying our long weekend with grandchildren and their parents. Today the other four grands and our daughter will join us. Not sure of the SIL. It should be wild, but fun.
We may see the greatgrand again but were supposed to the other day and the mother refused to allow it. We shall see. All can use prayer.
I had such a good time shopping with my daughter and oldest granddaughter yesterday. Then we went to the town where the oldest has a room in a shop and is involved in the Chamber of Commerce, for the big lighting ceremony. The little’s reactions were worth all the effort and cold. How we treasure these times together when they are not so often!
On the schedule today is dropping off the cat food & a dog bed at the city animal shelter, at least make another attempt at “assembling” a vacuum cleaner I bought from Amazon a couple months ago now 😦 ; and then to keep on/keeping on getting the house ready for some Christmas decorations.
This 4-day break from work has been so needed. And I’ll have a busy week at work when Monday arrives.
So relieved to have the roof issue fixed. Looks like we may get some rain later in the week next week. -dj
Kare, give it lots of time. I went outside to get my water bottle to brew throat coat tea. It is the best but I left my thermos in png. Maybe Tim can find some for you
Jo
We got an early start and had a fine drive to Charleston. The hardest part was trying to find a Chick-fil-A for breakfast food. It’s smelling a lot like Thanksgiving in the kitchen here.
Good morning, all. Busy day this beautiful low to mid twenties frost covered day! Son in law told the children it is too cold to exercise (they were not going to run, just some exercise on the porch). I told husband about NJ’s husband, and we discussed our paper routes when we were ages ten to sixteen, and then my ninety three year old dad came in from his twenty minute walk on the deck. What is wrong with these youngsters??? I sent seventeen out to start a fire to burn some yard waste. He came in and told me it was too cold for the fire to start! What??? So I went out and started the fire and told him to go play for a while, moving would help him keep warm. Sixteen was helping husband build another bed.
Good morning, all. A beautiful frosty day here at twenty degrees. Interesting that this fancy new heating system is not keeping my dad as warm as the wood stove. The heater, set at seventy two, is maintaining sixty eight near my dad, whereas the wood stove kept a steady eighty five. But he is comfortable.
On my way home from church today I had to stop and wait for a doe to cross the road…this time she was alone but we always wait a few seconds to make certain there are not more following! 🦌
NJ’s comment reminded me of the time in our old neighborhood when I was a teen when a pack of scruffy pet-like dogs, some small, some tall, all panting — kept running back and forth on the sidewalks as a female dog (apparently in heat) led the way. It went on for a few days. -dj
Good day at church — I almost didn’t go due to the back but at the last minute decided it might be better to “move” — even if slowly and carefully — than to sit. Glad I went. We had a guest pastor in the pulpit today (our pastor and his family are currently galavanting in Europe) whose mission it is to help plan and then plant churches in our particular geographical presbytery (which takes in Arizona, California and Hawaii).
One of the young men who grew up in our church (and will be ordained in February, he’s finished seminary and just also got married) will now be planting and be in charge of heading up the first church in our denomination in Hawaii, a Christian there who has lived there for 25 years, surfer who knows the culture deeply and has many connections through his own personal ministries in providing food to one of the housing projects, has helped acclimate the church planters to the culture. -dj
Stayed for SS and caught up with some other folks I hadn’t talked to in much detail for a while. Then on the way home I stopped for groceries (which are still way too expansive) on the way home; Abby was in the backyard and very happy to see me when I opened the gate. -dj
Wandering Views 
Home for us after a terrific trip to the Pacific Northwest.
Every morning, now, I read Chad Bird’s comments on X-Twitter, and watch his 90-minute teaching on the Old Testament.
He’s a former professor at Concordia Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN, a Lutheran, who had a massive fall from too-early success in the theological world.
He’s humble, wise, deeply repentant, and I’ve learned so much from him in the two months since I read his first book.
This is lengthy, but, oh so wise:
Chad Bird
@birdchadlouis
The Dumpster Sermon
I heard one of the shortest but most memorable sermons not from a pulpit but from beside a dumpster. I had pulled my semi up behind a convenience store to grab a cup of coffee. As I climbed out of the truck, a woman walked up to me. Her face burned a deep brown. Stained jeans and sockless shoes and weary eyes. “Sir,” she said, “I hate to bother you, but can you help me?” Pointing over her shoulder, she said her husband was in the dumpster. They were hungry and he was digging for food. Could I give them anything?
When I came out of the store a few minutes later, she and her husband were standing beside my truck. I handed them the two submarine sandwiches I’d bought inside. The man took them, handed them to his wife, and stretched out his hand. I shook it, feeling the grime and grease of the dumpster on his palm. On his weathered face glowed a gratitude more profound than anything I’ve ever witnessed. “Thank you, sir,” he said, “thank you so much. We don’t have hardly nothing. Just got to town a few nights ago. Been sleeping under the bridge over there. But God, he always seems to send people to help us out. Jesus been good to us that way. He always provides.” And thanking me again, they walked away, out of my life, but never from my memory and gratitude.
A man who had no address, no car, no savings account, who was about to eat out of a trash can—he told me that “Jesus been good to us that way.”
Every time I think of that dumpster sermon, uttered by a homeless prophet, I remind myself that wisdom lurks in the outer places. Rich gratitude among the impoverished and forgotten. Jesus been good to us that way. Yes, he has. And Jesus was good to me in sending that man into my life for a few brief moments. He reminded me that God has friends in low places. In low places profound faith flourishes. And from those low places resounds the voice of God from the lips of his people.
Thank God for pastors, for church leaders, for bestselling Christian authors, for all those in positions of prominence whom Christ uses to proclaim his Good News of salvation for the world. But thank God too for people who have never read a word of Martin Luther or Karl Barth but whose lives are inked through and through with the theology of the cross. They drive tractors, flip burgers, shingle roofs, and, yes, dig through dumpsters.
Each of them embodies the earthiness of theology. The same God born in a barn and laid in a feed trough is swaddled in the ordinaries of their unawesome lives. The same God who had nowhere to lay his head sleeps with them under interstate bridges. The same God who was blackballed by the religious highbrows of his day sits and mourns with those who have been broken by the church. The same God who died between two crooks hangs out with cons and ex-cons today. The same God who let a prostitute weep on his feet and dry them with her hair embraces and kisses believing women today who have been entangled in the sex trade. He is the God of the cross who is found where the world doesn’t seek him—or, all too often, where the church doesn’t expect him to be. Jesus is there for them, for us, for all people. He is a God of surprises, whose ways shock us into expanding our horizons. The laborers in his vineyard may wear suits and ties, boots and jeans, or leather and tats. But they are all his laborers. Or more precisely, his children. God’s family is full of misfits. Always has been, always will be. For our Father’s family is founded on grace, not goodness.
-Adapted from my book, Your God Is Too Glorious (2nd Edition), available at http://shop.1517.org or Amazon
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For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known…..
A good reminder He watches over His own. Trusting Him in whatever circumstance we find ourselves is knowing a deepest peace.
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That is a good reminder about taking a picture of whatever, before taking it apart!
We are enjoying our long weekend with grandchildren and their parents. Today the other four grands and our daughter will join us. Not sure of the SIL. It should be wild, but fun.
We may see the greatgrand again but were supposed to the other day and the mother refused to allow it. We shall see. All can use prayer.
I had such a good time shopping with my daughter and oldest granddaughter yesterday. Then we went to the town where the oldest has a room in a shop and is involved in the Chamber of Commerce, for the big lighting ceremony. The little’s reactions were worth all the effort and cold. How we treasure these times together when they are not so often!
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@8:37, thank you for sharing that.
On the schedule today is dropping off the cat food & a dog bed at the city animal shelter, at least make another attempt at “assembling” a vacuum cleaner I bought from Amazon a couple months ago now 😦 ; and then to keep on/keeping on getting the house ready for some Christmas decorations.
This 4-day break from work has been so needed. And I’ll have a busy week at work when Monday arrives.
So relieved to have the roof issue fixed. Looks like we may get some rain later in the week next week. -dj
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Kare, give it lots of time. I went outside to get my water bottle to brew throat coat tea. It is the best but I left my thermos in png. Maybe Tim can find some for you
Jo
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Of course Ginger beer has also helped
Jo
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We got an early start and had a fine drive to Charleston. The hardest part was trying to find a Chick-fil-A for breakfast food. It’s smelling a lot like Thanksgiving in the kitchen here.
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Such a great header photo. Where was it taken?
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Good morning, all. Busy day this beautiful low to mid twenties frost covered day! Son in law told the children it is too cold to exercise (they were not going to run, just some exercise on the porch). I told husband about NJ’s husband, and we discussed our paper routes when we were ages ten to sixteen, and then my ninety three year old dad came in from his twenty minute walk on the deck. What is wrong with these youngsters??? I sent seventeen out to start a fire to burn some yard waste. He came in and told me it was too cold for the fire to start! What??? So I went out and started the fire and told him to go play for a while, moving would help him keep warm. Sixteen was helping husband build another bed.
mumsee
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I like to see deer, except when the run out in front of my car. I came close to hitting one this evening while driving to D2’s house.
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Good morning, all. A beautiful frosty day here at twenty degrees. Interesting that this fancy new heating system is not keeping my dad as warm as the wood stove. The heater, set at seventy two, is maintaining sixty eight near my dad, whereas the wood stove kept a steady eighty five. But he is comfortable.
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Yesterday he took his walks on the frost covered deck and played cornhole in thirty degree temps. He is hardy.
mumsee
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The flowers have been placed. I sent AJ a photo.
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Thank you Janice for the placing of flowers….🌺🌺
On my way home from church today I had to stop and wait for a doe to cross the road…this time she was alone but we always wait a few seconds to make certain there are not more following! 🦌
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On the trip I mentioned, I later saw a half dozen or so in the twilight. They were several yards off the road in field.
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It snowed last night. Beautiful winter wonderland. Photos coming.
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Son said the other name for Summerville is Flower Town (where Chas and Elvera”s gravesite is located).
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NJ’s comment reminded me of the time in our old neighborhood when I was a teen when a pack of scruffy pet-like dogs, some small, some tall, all panting — kept running back and forth on the sidewalks as a female dog (apparently in heat) led the way. It went on for a few days. -dj
LikeLiked by 3 people
Good day at church — I almost didn’t go due to the back but at the last minute decided it might be better to “move” — even if slowly and carefully — than to sit. Glad I went. We had a guest pastor in the pulpit today (our pastor and his family are currently galavanting in Europe) whose mission it is to help plan and then plant churches in our particular geographical presbytery (which takes in Arizona, California and Hawaii).
One of the young men who grew up in our church (and will be ordained in February, he’s finished seminary and just also got married) will now be planting and be in charge of heading up the first church in our denomination in Hawaii, a Christian there who has lived there for 25 years, surfer who knows the culture deeply and has many connections through his own personal ministries in providing food to one of the housing projects, has helped acclimate the church planters to the culture. -dj
LikeLiked by 3 people
Stayed for SS and caught up with some other folks I hadn’t talked to in much detail for a while. Then on the way home I stopped for groceries (which are still way too expansive) on the way home; Abby was in the backyard and very happy to see me when I opened the gate. -dj
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DJ – re: “. . . groceries (which are still way too expansive) . . .”
Does that mean that they are way too fattening? 😀
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Kizzie…
mumsee
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