Better late than never

The President (finally) sends a message of support for the beleaguered citizens of Iran to their brutal government. It took a while, but I’m glad he has come out with this:

The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.

As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.

Martin Luther King once said – “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I believe that. The international community believes that. And right now, we are bearing witness to the Iranian peoples’ belief in that truth, and we will continue to bear witness.

iMonk on Contemporary Worship

As my kids could probably tell you, I’ve been somewhat conflicted for the last few years about music in general and modern evangelical church worship in particular. This comes on the heels of seven very challenging and extremely fulfilling years working with student worship bands. I’ll never lose those memories. In hindsight (and every other kind of sight) I still look back on those years as wonderful and, for the most part, right where God wanted me. But that doesn’t mean that I have little, niggling doubts about some of the things I took part in back then, and the worship culture I experienced.

I can’t articulate them very well. But the iMonk does, . Good read.

Congratulations, Molly!

This past Saturday, my eldest daughter graduated from high school (Summa Cum Laude!). It was a great weekend of celebration all around for our family.

Saturday night, following the graduation and our excellent El Gallo meal at home, Molly and Andrew put on a short, impromptu concert for the family and extended family, with Molly singing Grace Upon Grace by Sandra McCracken and Faith My Eyes by Caedmon’s Call, accompanied by Andrew on guitar and harmonies. They sound so good together (I hope to get them to record Grace Upon Grace so I can post it). This was followed by an unplanned, unscripted time of blessing and encouragement as a family. Toward the end, Bethany, our younger daughter, stood up and spoke a sweet, tearful tribute to her older sister. Bethany just finished her sophomore year and is turning into a mature young woman so fast. I’m so proud of her and I had so much fun waltzing with her earlier in the night (to a High School Musical song. I’m a fan).

Someone asked me if I had any words to say. I did, of course, but the main thing I remember saying was that I’ve never been happier. I’m so blessed and privileged to be married to Jill and dad to Andrew, Molly, Bethany, and Blake.

Some pictures.

The Graduate. She got to wear all this extra stuff (National Honor Society cowl, Summa Cum Laude and French Honor Society ropes) – well deserved. Molly really worked hard in school.

Molly, with Andrew and Blake. Blake’s not smiling for some reason . . .

. . . so he obviously needed a hug. My nephew Sawyer is also in the pic, to the left.

Better!

I love this pic of Molly and Bethany. My niece Macy is also in the picture, to the right.

I don’t have any pictures of it (not that we didn’t take any, I just don’t have them uploaded) but the next day Molly also played piano for about fifty people for her Senior Recital. It was awesome.

Great weekend!