Jon C. Swanson's Blog

I’m not from a tradition of Advent. I’m from a tradition that looks at the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 and says, “We could disappear at any time, so don’t be doing things that you would want Jesus to catch you doing.”

There is an element of truth, of course, but it’s not a very encouraging way to live. It’s a “don’t get caught” way of thinking, a “look out” rather than a “look forward” way of living.

When Jesus talks about being ready, we could say, “You don’t know when he is coming. ...

God.

This is the first Sunday of Advent. Some of us call this Hope Sunday. We read about salvation being closer than ever. And we very much want that to be true.

Because it doesn’t always feel that way.

In truth, God, many of us are uncomfortable with expectations. We have expected good things and bad have happened. We have expected the worst and have sometimes been right. We have expected the best and have seldom been right.

At least about the things that matter to us.

Health...

I think I’ve mentioned that I’m teaching a course in Pastoral Care these days. I made the assignment for Thanksgiving week very simple.

It’s a project from Jon Acuff, in new book, All it Takes is a Goal.

And it’s very simple.

1. Write the words”best moments” somewhere, On a piece of paper. On a blank journal page. On a note in “notes” on your phone. On a blank page at the back of the Prayer in The Night book. 

2. Write things down that are best moments from the past five years. ...

I have mixed feelings about the holiday of Thanksgiving. It’s an introvert thing probably, and having struggles with trying to live up to the expectations people bring to holidays.

I’ve written about that before. Like the time my mom discouraged me from having pie after the Thanksgiving Eve service: Store-bought chocolate cream pie

And a couple times I’ve written about the loaves and fishes Jesus gave thanks for and how that might help our reservations about being thankful today: here...

Rich Dixon finishes a story from last week.

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My friend Paul Hurkman is currently involved in what I believe to be a super-human act of generosity and sacrifice. As part of the Great World Race, Paul and several other folks will run seven marathons – on seven continents – in seven days.

You read that correctly.

This photo shows Paul in Antarctica during marathon #2 (air temperatures -20°, winds 20-30 mph – explaining Paul’s somewhat unconventional running gear). At the finish ...

God spoke to the people through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 58:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

… Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guar...

God.

I listened to Messiah the other night straight through.

I mean, I listen to the recording, three records, six sides. I listen one side over and over, and then flip the record.

But this is in person, with other people. People we know. Our daughter in the middle of it, on the line between chorus and orchestra.

I got to hear it straight through, apart from the annoying clapping from people who thought expressing their feelings was more important than hearing the words.

“Al...

God-

We are skeptical of kings. We are skeptical of political answers to our problems. But the truth is, we are skeptical about any answers to our problems. Some of us are skeptical about most things.

We work and other people win.
We pray and people we love are still sick.
We love and we are misunderstood.
We try and we are tired from trying.

We think, perhaps, we are not wholehearted enough. We’ve heard enough church leaders and political leaders and coaches tell us that our problem is...

A 2-oz canister of Play-doh costs about 54 cents. (Less if you buy a case of 48).

When I was littler, I worried a lot about keeping the colors separate. Because it would, perhaps, ruin them if you mixed them up. Ben was over last night, playing with Grandma Nancy.

He had the black Play-doh, which was another color and black a couple play sessions back, but it now all black. And he had the yellow. They were piled together, squeezed through a couple of presses and a rolling pin.

“It...

Paul knew the words Jesus had said about the temple being destroyed and the social upheaval and the natural disasters and the persecution. He lived in the middle of it, even during his lifetime. It’s revealing that he didn’t get caught up in the worry.

Instead, he worked hard on his tentmaking and his teaching and his writing and his praying and his encouraging and his listening and his sabbath keeping and laughing.

I’m guessing about the last one. But I think that Paul laughed.

Paul...