Blogs

I don’t know what it is about mini toolkits, but I love them. Actually, scratch that. I know why. It’s the same reason I love buying tools and books, more generally: the illusion of control. I like how having tools (and a great personal library) makes me feel like I’m ready for whatever life throws at me (ha!). It’s why I liked carrying around a pocketknife as a kid, and it’s why I’m into EDC (everyday carry) and tools as an adult. ...

You Can’t Follow Jesus and Hate Immigrants You can’t follow Jesus and hate immigrants. Of course, this does NOT settle every question of immigration policy! But, if you’re a follower of Jesus, consider your overall posture toward immigrants. If you call yourself a Christian, I want you to think about this seriously. What comes into your head and your heart when you think of immigrants and refugees? Fear? Anger? Disgust? ...

The relationship between Church and State, particularly the intersection of Christianity and politics, has been on my mind since I first started paying attention during the lead-up to the 2008 USA presidential election. Back then, I was just a high school student, but these themes have stuck with me ever since. (For those curious, here’s a quick timeline: In 2012, I was studying biblical studies in college. By 2016, I was a seminarian, and in 2020, I was working on my Ph.D. in theology. Now, in 2024, I’m a software engineer! Yet political theology continues to weigh on my mind.) ...

Sweater weather Losing weight with some help from Zepbound Football season (pulling for the Detroit Lions and the University of Michigan Wolverines) Harbor Freight coming out with version 2.0 of its “meme tool” – now with sockets! Hopefully out before the end of the year Reading The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story by Christopher and Richard Hays when it comes out next week Learning auto repair by working on my dad’s 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 (next up: replacing the governor pressure solenoid and sensor in the transmission, which will hopefully help with the truck getting stuck in low gear!) What are you excited about these days? ...

We bought our first house in late 2023 and, since moving-in in January 2024, I’ve been chipping away at home improvement projects. Since I’m a software engineer and spend my day in front of a screen, I enjoy working with tools as a change of pace. Now, some upcoming projects will clearly outstrip my capabilities and I plan to hire professionals: – Replace roof and gutters – Replace furnace and central air conditioning ...

In the quest for personal and professional growth, understanding our unique strengths and personality traits can be incredibly enlightening. Today, I want to share my insights from various personality paradigms and how they shape my approach to work and life. CliftonStrengths: Harnessing Core Talents The CliftonStrengths assessment has been instrumental in identifying my core talents. Here are my top five strengths: Input: I have an insatiable curiosity and a constant desire to collect information. This strength fuels my drive to learn and gather knowledge from diverse sources. Intellection: My love for deep thinking and intellectual discussions is a hallmark of this strength. It allows me to explore complex ideas and engage in thoughtful analysis. Learner: The process of learning excites me. Whether it’s acquiring new skills or understanding new concepts, I thrive in environments that offer continuous growth. Ideation: Creativity and innovation are my playgrounds. I enjoy brainstorming and generating new ideas, which often leads to novel solutions and approaches. Analytical: I have a keen ability to dissect problems and examine them from different angles. This strength helps me make informed decisions based on solid data and evidence. For more on CliftonStrengths, check out Gallup’s CliftonStrengths. ...

I’ve been on a lifelong journey to find hats that will fit my big ol’ head. Now that I’m bald, and the summer months are approaching, I figured it would be good to find one or two more hats to add to my rotation. I’ve narrowed this round down to trying the following hats, in case you’re interested (Amazon affiliate links below): TOO SMALL FOR ME Carhartt Men’s Rugged Professional Series Canvas Mesh-Back Cap (Shadow, One Size) Carhartt Men’s 100289 Odessa Ball Cap (Carhartt Brown, One Size) I’m a sucker for Carhartt and Carhartt brown! This hat is comfortable I like that it looks different than my other hats, which tend to be black, gray, etc. Ankor Ultra Performance Water-Resistant UPF 50 Baseball Hat (Charcoal Gray, One Size) Charcoal gray is my favorite color (not sure what that says about me…) I really like the look and fit of this one Flexfit Men’s Delta Seamless Cap (Dark Grey, XX-Large) Love the look and color of this Very comfortable! I wonder if it’s a tad *too* big for my head, though Flexfit Mens Cool & Dry Sport (Grey, X-Large-XX-Large) This hat gets here in the mail today! I’m excited to try it out ...

(The following prayers come from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.) Prayers for the Sick For a Sick Person O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech thee to behold, visit, and relieve thy sick servant N. for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; comfort him with a sense of thy goodness; preserve him from the temptations of the enemy; and give him patience under his affliction. In thy good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the residue of his life in thy fear, and to thy glory; and grant that finally he may dwell with thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ...

With Holy Week and Easter coming up, I’ve been thinking about music and artwork that I’ve found particularly poignant when reflection on the crucifixion and resurrection. First, I’ve seen many icons of the resurrection (“anastasis,” in Greek) like the one below. But I don’t think I fully appreciated the image until I realized it was Adam and Eve that Christ is helping up out of their graves. He’s trampled down the doors/gates of Hell and is taking an elderly Adam and an elderly Eve by the hand. Rescuing them from the realm of Death, in order to bring them back to eternal life with God. ...

I’ve often enjoyed lifting weights, but I’ve never enjoyed going to the gym. So, I’ve long wanted a nice home gym. When we lived in a basement apartment, space was very limited, but I was able to fit a Valor Fitness BD-9 squat rack/stands and an Amazon Basics flat bench in, along with a 300-lb Olympic barbell and weight set from Dicks Sporting Goods. (If you’re similarly pressed for space, I highly recommend those items above!) ...

You’ve probably heard of “the problem of evil” (if not, here’s an overview). But there’s a specific version/aspect of it that I find even more devastating. If God is omnipotent (all-powerful), ommniscient (all-knowing(, and omnibenevolent (completely good)… If the Church is God’s main plan for the redemption of humanity and the cosmos (consider the “body of Christ” paradigm in the New Testament)… If the gospel of Jesus Christ has had ~2K years to percolate in and through the Church… ...

I know I’m not alone in this, but the past few years have been pretty rough for me. I’ve gained at least 50 pounds. I had a fun part-time gig as a managing editor come to an end. I’ve come to terms with some long-term depression and anxiety. I had a job offer ripped out from under me. I hit pause on and eventually dropped out of my Ph.D. program. I’ve resigned from ordained ministry in the ACNA, my previous denomination. Sure, some things have gone well. I’ve got a loving wife (who’s a superhero) and three healthy children. I’ve got a new career (as a software developer) that I very much enjoy. We’ve got a roof over our heads. I make more money now than I ever have. ...

Mark 6:13-29. John the Baptist lost his life for speaking truth to power. Are we willing to speak truth to power? To tell the truth about power and the power of truth? Or will we abandon the truth to obtain and maintain power?

The following are some of my opinions, held with varying levels of intensity, about church/churches. Note: These are geared toward Christian churches in the USA. Some would obviously also apply to churches elsewhere. But I haven’t nuanced this entire list for all global church contexts. Many churches in the USA are too “busy.” They are trying to do too many different things and should instead refocus on the church’s proper priorities (Word and Sacraments). ...

After a considerable period of discernment, coupled with my growing disaffection with the Anglican Church in North America, I sense God calling me to step away from ordained ministry in the ACNA and instead to focus on my family and my career as a software engineer. This also coincides with plans to move closer to family in NW Ohio (where there is not much of an ACNA presence to speak of) and to then pursue church involvement outside of the ACNA. ...