Simply Gospel

May my steps be worship. May my thoughts be praise.

  • Truthiness

    The pilot episode of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report gave me one of the biggest a-ha moments I can remember having while watching a television program.  In the pilot, Colbert introduced the idea of truthiness in a segment called The Wørd (a parody of a certain someone else’s Talking Points segment) and described it as something Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger: We Gotta Try New Things

    Daniel’s mom is preparing two new things for dinner – vegetable spaghetti and banana swirl. Poor Daniel isn’t sure whether or not he’ll like the entrée and dessert, but his mom reassures him, “We gotta try new foods, ’cause they might taste good.” Of course, Daniel tries both dishes and likes them both. His friend Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger: What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel?

    We all get made at times. Daniel and his friends have a hard time dealing with anger in an episode at the music store. They don’t always get a turn right when they want it, and the adults (who are always wonderfully on the same page with each other) advise the kids to “take a deep breath, Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger: Everyone Is Big Enough

    Daniel’s dad is building him a playhouse, and Daniel wants to help. He’s not big enough to use some of the tools, though, but Dad points out that their are other ways in which Daniel can help. After all, everyone is big enough to do something. It seems so simple. Our family even sings it Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger: Find a Way to Play Together

    In another episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the kids are playing house at preschool when Prince Wednesday storms in roaring. He wants to pretend to be a dinosaur, but the others are worried his roaring will wake the pretend baby. Katarina doesn’t want Wednesday to play with them at all, but Teacher Harriet encourages them Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger: Find Something Good

    The very first episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood centers around Daniel’s birthday. He goes to get a special tiger cake from the bakery only to find out it got ruined on the trip home. His dad redirects Daniel’s disappointment by asking him to find something good about his cake. He asks, “What’s good about all Continue reading

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  • Lessons from Daniel Tiger

    Author Amy Hollingsworth wrote the following about Fred Rogers in her book The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers: Every day he taught God’s message without preaching a word. Fred Rogers is one of the very few celebrities in this world I still hold in high esteem. Whenever I’m down or frustrated, I watch an episode of Mr. Continue reading

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  • Old Testament, Militarism, and Idolatry

    Patheos: Old Testament, Militarism, and Idolatry It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Christians participating in or glorifying the military. Preston Sprinkle at Patheos shares some interesting thoughts about militarization in the context of the Old Testament and how using the kingdom of Israel do justify our military is wrong. But as it Continue reading

  • The Electoral Problem

    It’s election season again, and I’ve been very quiet on the issue. But as we come within hours of the polls opening and Christians and non-Christians alike flooding to their voting location to declare their trust in one candidate or the other, I want to offer this thought. The election changes nothing about your or Continue reading

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  • The Dangerous Assumption

    I was reading a church bulletin lately that contained one of those stereotypical articles about a contentious point of doctrine, and it ended with a declaration: “Those who love the Lord will honor His Word!” And it’s one of those phrases that always leaves me a bit uncomfortable. It contains the same dangerous assumption as Continue reading

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