http://garyalloway.wordpress.com the state that I am in Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:39:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We are two and a half weeks into Lent and as usual, I have broken all my lenten goals.  So it goes.  This year, I put forth my most sweeping agenda yet, doing a pretty thorough moral inventory of my interactions with prayer, scripture, alcohol, generosity, exercise, and sexuality.  And ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/dont-relent-on-lent/ I love analogies.  This one came to me tonight. Our theology should be like a well-inflated tire. If the tire is pumped too full, it becomes rigid.  The slightest stone or pothole causes it to pop rendering the tire not just useless, but shredded.  Like a systematic theology too tightly woven, one ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/the-theology-of-the-tire/ A Meditation on Matthew 6:9-10 Our Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven. The God to whom we pray. Our Father is in heaven.  Our God is beyond us. God Almighty, El Shaddai, the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient creator of all the universe. God can do all things. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/our-father-in-heaven/ It's hard to describe the mood in Philadelphia right now.  I likened it to the movie Meet the Parents where he has the perfect engagement set up and then through a series of escalating bad circumstances, the whole thing collapses.  What appears clear destiny suddenly has you saying, "Sorry I ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/thats-just-philly/ [caption id="attachment_40" align="alignright" width="250" caption="My friends, we need more red ties in America."][/caption] When I was in Assisi last year, I met a friendly monk.  When he learned I was to become a pastor, he got very excited, promised to pray for me, and made the sign of the cross on ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/remember-the-poor/ Some important thoughts on the world: I was listening to the 885 Essential XPN songs countdown today and they said, "This countdown is sponsored by Canada Dry."  This struck me for two reasons: 1) Who drinks Canada Dry?  I was unaware the product was still on the market. 2) What's with ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/musings/ While I tend to be cynical of the view that free market capitalism is God-inspired and perfect in all its ways, I do believe it is the best system to provide the maximum benefit for the most number of people.  Left to its own, the invisible hand inevitably exploits some ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/being-an-activist-capitalist/ Paging all Francophones...Did you know that people speak French in North America?  Just a myth, right?  No, actually, it's true.  Tonight, I drove 97 kilometers from Burlington, Vermont (Holy crap! We have a French state in America!?! What's going on?!) along 133 Nord and exited onto Rue Universite Ouest.  I'm ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/bienvenue-a-quebec/ Today is beautiful.  It is 86, low humidity, blue sky, and white puffy clouds.  But one of the things I am noticing today is the way the sun is coming in my apartment at a lower angle than it has all summer.  And this, of course, means that fall is ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/seasons-and-creation/ Philadelphia phenom: This Guy While I would love to celebrate the victory of our very own Philadelphia Soul in Arena Bowl XXII, it sent my mind in a different direction. Two weeks ago, the Associated Press ran a story that was the cover headline on ... http://garyalloway.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/good-for-our-soul/