things – 12/8/24

hey beloveds,

here are some things that i am thinking about, seeing, reading, listening to, etc.

this is curated by me, myself, and i. no AI or algorithms.

1. i did another raw unedited rambling and called it a podcast – here. it is about how life is like a christmas tree that has been in a box for a long time. check it out.

2. i have been trying to read a lot. i just finished Thomas Jay Oord’s “Open and Relational Theology: An Introduction to Life-Changing Ideas.” i really enjoyed it. it’s an easy quick read, but packed with great info and helpful for moving away from unhelpful paradigms about what god is like.

3. i am also trying to finish up “The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story” by Christopher and Richard Hays. i got to hear Richard present on this book at a conference i went to recently and really enjoyed it. it’s a great book. highly recommend. (and yes…. i got him to sign my copy 😮 )

4. i am also really enjoying this book about fungus: “Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape our Futures” by Merlin Sheldrake. there’s two editions: a regular and an abridged/illustrated edition. i have both. i’d recommend the illustrated one as a place to start to see if you are interested – here.

5. enough about books. here is a gif that has really got me jazzed lately (primarily because of the book i just mentioned…) :

6. and to anticipate your question: no i am not on mushrooms. ok at least not the kind you are thinking. i am drinking a coffee that has mushroom extract in it. it is supposed to give you mental clarity and i feel like it does actually help. here is the one i have been using to make french press. there are lots of them out there. my friend said she likes a different one.

7. though i am not on drugs (*of the illegal variety*) i do interact with a lot of people who are in my job. addiction is a serious issue that faces lots of people. i tend to think there is still a lot of room for improvement as far as how we help our addicted friends and family navigate life. i find myself quoting this proverb a lot that i read somewhere one time, but can’t remember where: “everyone asks me why i drink, but no one asks me why i thirst.” i like that! why am i talking about addiction? because that proverb is worth reflecting on and also i watched a great Ted Talk about this topic that really got me thinking called “Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong” by Johann Hari – here.

8. i don’t use social media anymore. i deleted all my accounts. it would mean a lot to me if you would consider sharing my site and blog posts with others to help spread the word, but no pressure. as i like to say about a lot of things: “no obligation, just invitation.”

may you be makarioi,

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