BEGINNING
"It was a dark and stormy night..." Isn't that the way you're suppose to start writing? Probably not -- unless you're writing a great novel -- which this isn't. I just figured that it was about time that I started to record some of the tidbits, quotes, and occasional original thoughts that come my way. So here it is.

BLOESCH
Some of the impetus for starting now is the fact that I'm in the middle of Donald Bloesch's new book THE CHURCH: SACRAMENTS, WORSHIP, MINISTRY, MISSION (IVP, 2002). I'm coming across so many good quotes -- such as: (quoting Karl Barth) "'...the church service is the most important, momentous and majestic thing which can possibly take place on earth, because its primary content is not the work of man but the work of the Holy Spirit and consequently the work of faith.' Worship is not efficacious in molding the Christian life, however, unless it is united with a passion to help people in need, which becomes a parable of our love for God." (p. 118)

The chapter on the "marks of the church" is alone worth the cost of the book.

LAPTOP TABLE
Acquisitions: a “personal table” from Costco – $20. Adjustable. Great for working on the laptop. Made by Lifetime -- legs fold in -- looks slightly like, an ironing board (what people used to iron their clothes on in the ole days) -- seems sturdy, too. Slick – very slick.