Random

~ More on using recycled shipping containers as housing. Because of trade imbalances with China there are lots of containers sitting unused in Western ports. The photo is of student housing in Amsterdam. At PIBC we have students living in remodeled cargo containers, too. Although ours are finished out a little more conventionally.

~ "Churches Cancel Sunday Worship for Tangible Faith"

Since when was worship focused on God intangible faith? For six days we focus on serving God out in the world and on the seventh we stop doing that in order to focus more directly on serving God himself through worship. The whole "faith in action" campaign, while well intentioned, and while truly addressing the need to get people up and moving, is half-baked theologically. Should we rob God of the praise and adoration due him in order to care for neighbors? We don't have to. The problem isn't so much about what we're doing on Sunday. It's what we're not doing on the other six days. Yes, put faith into action -- but let it be the service that overflows from what we do for God each Sunday.

~ Churches and local governments working together to provide an alternative pathway out of homelessness -- a mentorship program. Creative. Duplicable or adaptable.

~ You already know that I'm not anywhere near being a hardcore fan, but given the circumstances in my family (Cheryl is a Cal alumna and our daughter Betsy is working hard to become an alumna in 2010) it is worth noting that Cal has squandered its opportunity to be #1. At the same time ASU (where I went to college) is the last unbeaten team in the PAC-10. Occasionally MY school outshines the other -- occasionally.