Monday, May 19, 2008

Where Is FEMA When You Need Them?

FEMA would, of course, be the Federal Emergency Milk Administration. Obviously both Congress and the Bush Administration have failed to protect us against this kind of disaster!

What disaster you say? 14 TONS of Oreo cookies spilled onto an Illinois highway. Read about the tragedy here.

Names of the cookies are not being release pending notification of their respective packaging.

Sorry for trying to MILK this story for all it's worth!

Short Book Review, Confessions Of A Pastor

I just finished reading Craig Groeshel's Confessions Of A Pastor. Wow. It's a short book with a big fist. Here is the basic premise. Craig confesses to 10 different challenges he faces in his life. It is authenticity to the tenth power. The purpose is to let people know of the humanity of the Pastor. Just because you are a spiritual leader does not mean that you always have your "stuff" together.

As I read the book I found myself agreeing that most of the challenges he face are issues that have been a struggle for me as well. Reading all ten will definitely remove any Pastor from the pedestal. Most spiritual leaders could benefit from this book as an example of the tremendous power of taking off the mask and being real with people.

At one point he tells the story of a Seminary Professor who told him that he should NOT drop his guard with people but should seek to maintain the "Pastoral Mystique". If that is your plan then let me know how it works out for you. While no one ever said that to me I can definitely identify with the spirit of that comment.

I am not going to tell you what all ten are; you will have to check that out for yourself. Here is my word of warning. If you are under someone else's spiritual leadership, your Pastor for example, you have a choice to make. You can either read the book or not read it. If you choose to read it be prepared to understand more about that leader. Therein lies the danger. If you are not a person of grace I suggest you skip the book. It will lower your opinion of your spiritual leader and you will be even more miserable than you already are right now.

If, however, you choose to read the book with an open and grace filled heart I believe you will finish with an understanding of your leader and an appreciation for them as well.I add a tip for spiritual leaders who read this book. I breezed through several chapters as I would most books. Suddenly I came to a chapter that literally took me over a week to read. The chapter wasn't too long; the subject was too close to home. That's when you know Craig is in your mailbox.