New Bloggers Include Mugs, Bullies, and Espresso Shots
June 12, 2008
Marcus here.
Last week, we mentioned our new automated system for welcoming folks into the network. That means, once a week, I sit down to add folks into the feeds and sift through the newcomers.
Hmm. Sorting through the printouts this week I see our first spam member who wants us to sell video games for them in Monrovia. I think we’ll pass.
The rest of the new blogs are pretty cool. Here are just a few of them:
Andrea of Espresso Shots says, “I’d love to connect, share lessons and explore collaboration opportunities with like-minded professionals committed to honoring God in the marketplace.” She’s a business blogger got some good devotional posts for Christians in the workplace.
Tina Howard of spaghettipie isn’t really a new blogger, but we somehow left her out when we transferred our email list over to the new system. So I’m listing her because she just now got into the “big list.” Sorry about that Tina. And if you’ve never visited her blog, it’s one of Mark Goodyear’s favorites. Tina also writes for TheHighCalling.org, by the way, though her first article hasn’t gone live yet.
Karen Swim of Words for Hire is another business blogger. She hasn’t added a badge yet, but I wanted to list her anyway because her recent post on what she learned from bullies is such a great idea. I think it could make a good group writing project, Robert. Robert, are you listening?
Marty of CountlessImperfections.com shares our affinity for high calling blogger Steve McCoy. He deserves a mention too, because yesterday was his birthday. He hung one more year on the line.
Last by not least, Roger Mugs the Theologer (who’s also a sometime poet) comes in with some great devotional about Psalm 25 read through the lens of living in a shame-based culture. Wow!
Now, go click through and leave some comments to encourage people.
I hope everyone has a great week. I’m headed off to Lubbock, Texas. Whoo hoo!
Around Our Network…
March 26, 2008
I found some great stuff around the High Calling network today. That’s no surprise. I’m always astonished and delighted by the wisdom that comes together when you give Christian people a chance to have a say.
Red Letter Believers addresses a fascinating issue. Just how much do you expect your workplace to make allowances for your Christianity? And what will be the benefit or harm if you complain about it.
24 Seven Faith reminds husbands that along with honoring God in the workplace, honoring the Creator by honoring your spouse is also a high calling. He has a particularly moving personal story to tell in this regard.
The Suburban Christian reminds us that our culture will constantly be pushing us to consume and to produce items of poor quality. He discusses the concepts of planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence. Fascinating stuff.
And, if it is okay to point to my own blog sometimes, Real Live Preacher has a tender story online about a man whose life was born out of tragedy and evil. He has discovered the proper perspective. As he says, “The blood of Jesus and good living has covered those sins.”
Enjoy!
Gordon Atkinson - Real Live Preacher.
Holy Week Thoughts Around the Network
March 20, 2008
A number of High Calling Bloggers have posted reflections on Holy Week and Easter.
The Suburban Christian notes that this is the next time St. Patrick’s day will fall in Holy Week will be 2160. He presents us with St. Patrick’s famous prayer.
My Simple Point of View asks a simple question.
Spaghettipie asks about your Easter traditions.
Holy Experience invites us to read and meditate on the story of the last supper.
Mark Roberts offers a reflection on the words of Jesus from the cross. “My God, why have you forsaken me?” and “I am thirsty.”
Portrait of a Writer offers us a number of ideas for Easter.
L’Chaim writes of art and theology and Holy Week.
C.S. Humble offers a meditation on the road to Emmaeus passage.
Around the High Calling Network
February 19, 2008
There’s a lot of good stuff out there among the High Calling Bloggers right now.
Selling among wolves writes about soft skills vs. hard skills.
The Marriage Conversation Blog discusses the kind of love that makes a marriage work.
Red Letter Believers is a wonderful blog that discusses a lot of contemporary issues that Christians face in he workplace. Lately they’ve talked about how you perform when the boss isn’t looking, and the difference between internal change and external superficiality.
Tom Peterson from “His Work in Progress” tells us a hilarious story of airplane delays with a thoughtful ending.
Carl Holmes reminds us that just as our bodies exist in rhythms, so to we have a spiritual rhythm we must find.
And finally, Steve at “Thy Grace is Sufficient” has noticed the lack of intersection between his church community and the community of his daily life.
Ash Wednesday
February 6, 2008
When I moved to San Antonio, I knew nothing of Lent. I was brought up Baptist, and we didn’t do Lent. I knew it was something that Catholics did and that it involved giving something up for a period of time. But that’s all I knew. My first Ash Wednesday came shortly after we arrived in town. I saw someone with a smudge on her forehead.
“Excuse me,” I said, “But you have something on your forehead.”
She smiled and said, “It’s ashes.”
I thought that was an odd answer. So I said, “Well, ashes or dirt or whatever. I was just letting you know.”
Things have changed over the last 20 years, and now my Baptist church observes the season of Lent along with most of Christendom. It is a season of mourning, a season of remembering our weak humanity, and a season of entering the desert with Jesus for 40 where we hope to hear from the Spirit of God. A number of our bloggers have posted Ash Wednesday or Lenten essays today. I hope their writing blesses you.
————————————Gordon Atkinson (Real Live Preacher)
Godspace
Portrait of a Writer, Interuppted
It Takes a Church
Novus Lumen
The Suburban Christian
Around the High Calling Network
January 31, 2008
Have you taken a look at the huge number of bloggers who are
now a part of our network? Check out our blogroll. You can read the latest
postings at our feed page. Christian people
populate the world in almost every profession. Our folks write about
everything under the sun. Here are a few things I’ve enjoyed lately:
Gordon
Atkinson (real live preacher)
Bob.blog writes about how he deals
with daily frustrations.
Heather Goodman writes about finding a place for her artistic
creativity in seminary. Part one here. Part two here.
Karenee reflects on whether in the
view of the scriptures, the good life might sometimes be the hard life.
Cara Putnam writes about the
difficulties she has as a writer in waiting on publishers.
Emails to God prays that he will
be a good example of “following” for his children.
Stuff in the Basement is meeting a
Native American woman from the Winnebago tribe. His ancestors took
their land, and he’s not sure what to do about that.
Did You Miss Our Top Ten Posts of 2007?
January 12, 2008
Although we started work on HighCallingBlogs.com in February 2007, we didn’t tell anyone until our beta launch in October. Thanks to you, HighCallingBlogs.com has already grown into a family of very competent writers on faith and work.
So we celebrated at TheHighCalling.org by choosing posts from bloggers who consistently nail the message of encouraging folks in their daily life. These ten posts will give you a taste of what we hope HighCallingBlogs.com will continue to offer.
Christmas Memories
December 18, 2007
Advent Candles - Covenant Baptist Church - San Antonio, Texas
Christmas memories are powerful for us. The secular and sacred holidays collide with an impact that shakes our wallets and our souls. I remember Christmas of 1988, waiting for my first child to be born. She was due in January and Jeanene was very pregnant through the holidays. Advent and waiting never seemed more real to me. These days I try to concentrate more on Advent than Christmas. Advent is counter-cultural. While our culture becomes loud, Advent worship calls us to silence. While our culture becomes rushed and harried, Advent is about slowing down and embracing the idea of waiting.
Everyone has their own unique set of Christmas memories, both good and bad. For many, the Christmas season is the one that never quite delivers. Our culture ties satisfaction and happiness to buying and receiving just the right gifts. We people of faith understand that possessions do not of themselves lead to happiness, but it’s hard not to get caught up in the craziness. Some people grieve terribly at Christmas. The loss of loved ones around this holiday forever colors the way a person feels about Christmas.
A number of High Calling Bloggers have written about the Christmas they most remember. I commend them to you. —- Real Live Preacher
