Fans from New Orleans at Super Bowl experienced exultant celebration as confetti showered down, tearful comments were expressed, and the joyful lifting of the Lombardi trophy by owners, coaches, and players.  A season of hard work, exercise, hard fought combats culminated in this final victory.  All this for a trophy and a season lasting only one year. The passion and joy expressed and experienced lifted all who participated in any way, even as spectators.

Life seldom unfolds the way we planned. As a little girl I dreamed of a Ken and Barbie style wedding. I wanted to be a doctor, then a fashion designer, or an opera singer. Now I’m 25, single, and in ministry.

As I sat in the service and watched the video scrolling overhead about the life of Layne Cole, my mind raced with thoughts and questions. Why such an early departure for one in the prime of his life – this young father of 2 small sons, 42 years old who died, after a 7 year battle, of brain cancer? Married only 8 years; children are not supposed to die before their parents. What does God have in mind with all of this? How will He provide for these fatherless young sons? How is it for Erin right now, sitting down there in her pretty green dress- Layne’s favorite color?

A pickle used to be a cucumber, but when it sits in a brine solution of vinegar and spices, it absorbs the flavors of the brine and turns into a pickle. That’s fine for cucumbers, but it’s terrible for people. When we live immersed in the “brine” of our culture, we can easily absorb its values and philosophies. Instead of thinking and living like Jesus, we look and sound and live just like the rest of the surrounding culture.

The Book of Eli isn't the kind of movie Christians recommend. It's rated "R" and it's gritty--I mean really gritty--filled with the language, violence and immorality that keep Christians away from the box office. It doesn't present the gospel and it's neither family-friendly or feel-good. But here's why I'm a fan (not in spite of my Christianity, but because of it.)

When Dallas Seminary invited emergent author Brian McLaren to speak on campus I was impressed with what a gracious, witty speaker he was. His love for Christ was evident. He spoke of the need to reach a postmodern culture with the message of the gospel. And then he said, What if truth is not a foundation that we build upon (with reason and certainty), but a circle, and what matters is whether you are moving towards the circle or away from it. And what if the circle is moving?

That’s one "lane" of the emergent church.

Whatever the unemployment rate is, when it’s you that is unemployed, it’s at 100%. My husband has been unemployed for the past five months, and it can be an all-consuming thing. Because it’s not for lack of trying that he’s unemployed, it’s just for lack of jobs as far as I can tell, and the process of looking for one is wearing.

There is no pit so deep that guilt can’t dig it deeper.

On Facebook last week, a friend wrote me this message: Why is everyone thrashing Pat Roberson? He said [the anecdote about making a pact with the devil] is a true story. Should we not find out the full story before all of us thrash him? I finally watched the clip. He seemed genuinely concerned, and not at all racist.