Turbulent Times: Ready or Not

We leave this afternoon for Australia – the house sitter has moved in (well more of a dog sitter actually as Bonnie told us she does not like being alone) and are furiously working to get our contributions for the MSA Seed Sampler done – as well as working on powerpoint presentations for all our [...]

The Causes of Our Times

I am getting ready to speak at the West Coast Healthcare Missions Conference this next week and have been updating some of my statistics and presentations.  As usual this kind of preparation challenges me again to look at the needs of our world and to grapple with how my life can make a difference in [...]

It’s Easy to Be Against Healthcare reform When You Have Insurance

I have been thinking for some time of giving some of my views about the current debate on healthcare reform in spite of the fact that I usually try to steer away from political issues.  Then yesterday when I was uploading Kathy Escobar’s post I visited her blog and was delighted to see that the [...]

Pray for Us At Mustard Seed Associates

Once a month I produce a monthly update and prayer request letter for Mustard Seed Associates.  I thought that you might be interested in seeing the various events and projects we are involved in.  We would appreciate your prayers for all that is happening.  
_____________________________________________
May 11th, 2009
 
Dear Prayer Partner,
Greetings to you all on a beautiful [...]

Are We Twittering Our Lives Away?

Yesterday I reflected on my need to maintain a balanced rhythm of life based on my faith and my sense of what the rhythms of God’s kingdom culture will look like.  This morning I came across this interesting article in the UK Telegraph reflecting on the impact that twitter is having on our lives
As people [...]

Earth Hour Is Almost Here

News from the Earth Hour team
MOMENTUM CONTINUES TO BUILD: With just a few days to go, Earth Hour continues to gain support in cities, with government leaders and celebrities, in the media, and on social networking sites.
MORE ICONS ANNOUNCE THEY’LL GO DARK: The Pyramids in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens, the Broadway Theater District, the Space Needle [...]

Journey Into the Brokenness of Hunger

We are now moving into the third week of Lent and so my thoughts are turning to our week’s challenge from the MSA Lenten Guide to reflect on and get involved in the brokenness of homelessness.  
Homelessness is a huge and complex challenge throughout our world.  UN Habitat’s 2005 report indicates that over one billion [...]

An Empire for Poor Working Women, Guided by a Gandhian Approach

International Women’s Day may be over but I keep coming across stories that I want to share about women whose lives have made a difference particularly to those who live in poverty.  Here is an inspiring story about Ela Bhatt who started India’s first woman’s bank.
THIRTY-FIVE years ago in this once thriving textile town, Ela [...]

Tidal Wave of Homeless Youth

In a couple of weeks the focus of our Lenten reflections will be on homelessness so it is not surprising that this article on rising problems of homelessness amongst youth from US News just caught my attention
OXNARD, Calif. – Nine-year-old Daniel Valdez is absorbed in “The Swiss Family Robinson,” the fictional story of a family [...]

Should You Give Up Toilet Paper for Lent?

For those of you who have not yet decided what you are giving up for Lent here is something from the NY Times that you might like to consider
When Sheryl Crow said that people should use only one sheet of toilet paper, she was lampooned by everyone from Rush Limbaugh to Jon Stewart.
More recently, [...]