All Saints Sunday… so hard yet so holy.

“We think doubt is dangerous. But unexamined certainty has done far more damage to souls.” — Pastor Beau Stringer

Slow theology... a great way to approach aging.

I so appreciate Presbyterian Outlook including my book, Feeling Your Way Through Grief, on their grief resource list. It is on SUPER SALE on Amazon right now… less than $2. That price won’t last! And it’s less expensive than a sympathy card!

Saturday morning… so good!

As you celebrate All Saints Day, take a moment to respond to this prompt from BEACH CALLING. "Write the names of ten older saints who already have gone to their eternal rest. Beside each name, list character traits you would most like to emulate as you grow older." www.amazon.com/Beach-Callin...

Self-awareness is key to aging faithfully, Will you sit still and openly reflect on your life today?

This photo is so old it was a Polaroid! But the memory is sweet. Happy Halloween! Let’s make the world a more loving place today.

I am grateful to belong to a church/ denomination that honors lay participation— from being a liturgist to helping serve communion, overseeing the church maintenance and finances, leading studies, teaching SS, preparing music. It’s what makes church the Church.

I re-watched All Saints—story of a pastor ordered to shut down a tiny church but finds new life welcoming & working w/ SE Asia refugees. When the refugee leader tells why they left Asia, the Bishop who had ordered the shut down, was moved & changed his mind. Bottom line: Stories matter.

Spend some time today thinking about where your blind spots are. Read scripture just to hear God's voice instead of trying to seek affirmation of something you already believe. Choose theology over talking points.

When the Executive Director of a senior living community moved on-site, she gained a fresh perspective. www.businessinsider.com/manage-senio...

On the 1st Sunday of each month, our church members bring non-perishable food, diapers, etc. for the Blessing Box on the church grounds. It is re-stocked throughout the month. With so many people feeling greater insecurity, we are doubling up on canned goods, peanut butter, etc.

I have a feeling that some award-winning documentaries are going to be made about this moment in time. The films may not be released until long after I’m gone, but I’m pretty sure there are young film makers who are already thinking about it.

Seems like there are a lot of high-platformed pastors who need to spend more time with congregants in nursing homes and in food pantries and less time riling up their members with inflammatory rhetoric.

The only rule is, you have to give it all away.

Observation: If pastors speak boldly but have malformed theology, they become the fuel that emboldens more bad theology. The result is a raging, out-of-control wildfire that burns people.

"Age clarifies that we are weak and decaying, and it helps us accept a reality we fight most of our lives: we need help." --Judy Douglass in The Perks of Aging

"Long faithfulness" is a term that we should ponder deeply. If we want to finish faithfully, we must do the challenging inner work while also engaging in community to bring flourishing to all God's people.

From my older friend: “I wonder what might change if every politician who claims to be a Christ-follower really thought about Jesus standing beside them when they did an interview, gave a speech or made a commercial.”

Every day I feel the tension between staying in my own lane and swerving to miss the potholes of awful representations of who Christ is and what he cares most about in this broken world.

Groupsource question: In what ways are your late years risky?

“I am not on this earth to fight for a political party but to surrender my identity to Jesus so I will embody his love and grace for all.”— my older friend in her weekly e- letter

Think about ways to honor older loved ones this Thanksgiving. Call attention to the fact that you are serving from a dish that has been passed down through the generations. Ask an older loved one to write the prayer. Other ideas?

My older friend offers wisdom for the journey of aging.

Think beyond your grandkids! Our younger generation needs older adults who will model faithful aging. This includes investing time and resources in the lives of young people in your community!

A card ministry to homebound church members is wonderful but please don’t think that’s all the church needs to do to encourage & challenge older adults and help them grow as disciples of Christ. I’ve seen many churches check that box and say they’re “doing” older adult ministry.

Share it with your church leadership! Get Sunday school classes, older adult ministry groups and small groups on board. Get the ball rolling!

This morning at church, I spoke with a mom who shared that her middle school and high school daughters couldn’t participate in extra-curricular activities because of the expense. I’ve been thinking about that all afternoon.

Finish the statement: Life is too short to…..

Fellow Christians, please don’t label tomorrow’s No King protests as Hate America rallies. Don’t stir up more hate. There are faithful Christians who hold opposite views. Both can love America deeply. If we can’t show how to love our neighbor who thinks differently than us, who will?

Who are people in your life who make you want to be a better person, the ones who quietly inspire you to make better life choices? #SomethingToPonder