Random links and daydream musings...

Kind of a random post this... loads of disparate links and daydream musings...

First off... there is a slight possibility that I might be going back to the City of Brotherly Love. Some business design work needing done... and my lead is moving house in a couple of weeks. It would be so sweet if I could go back... and there is talk of it being over a weekend too which would be wonderful.

Thinking on this... a couple of articles in gridskipper caught my eye... this article looks at how to do downtown NYC on the cheap. If I do get to stay over... I am heading to NYC... its only 90mins away in the train [I think]... and I would love to experience the sights and sounds and smells of the Big Apple.

If, however, I don't make NYC... I still have tons to see and do in Philly... and this article highlights some fab veggie restaurants. Not that I am veggie [anymore] but they have compiled a fab list of places and spaces to check out. I like local knowledge when I travel... and gridskipper is fab for this.

Speaking of food... Josh Brown has posted some thoughts on an interesting book called Plenty about a couple who only ate local food (100 mile radius) for an entire year. He is challenged by their story... and I want to check out the book. Its an area that I am slowly wakening up to... the whole locally sourced thing. I just don't think I pay enough attention to story behind what I eat...

My thanks go to Mr Johnny Laird for the heads up on Eric Bryant coming to Scotland. Eric is a leader at Mosaic in LA and is coming to Edinburgh and Perth. I could make Perth... but it is the morning after Janey and Roscoe's wedding... and I'm in Erskine with the family. He is a fab speaker though... and worth the trip. His book :: Peppermint Filled Pinatas looks v. good... I think he has spoken from it on the Mosaic podcast... which was great.

More thanks go to EP for pointing me in the direction of this article on Aaron Jackson who is singlehandedly fighting Haiti's internal parasite infestation with education and deworming medicine. Truly inspirational story. Forget the Beckhams... here is a real hero for the Noughties! Aaron Jackson... you rawk!!!

Even more thanks go in the direction of Mr Johnny Laird for posting about this interview on the Rubicon where Geoff Ryan interviews Shane Claiborne...

The thing I love about The Salvation Army is that it is peculiar. There is something about it that is set apart so that it becomes a “contrast culture.” I’m not familiar with the exact theology around peacemaking within The Salvation Army and how it gets worked out. The first time I came to a Salvation Army event, my friend and I were looking around and there were uniforms everywhere. We thought it was awesome - as long as everyone understands the reasons why!

Jesus and Paul were always doing this, using military language and spinning it on its head. Jesus regularly drew images from the imperial lexicon. Even words we use commonly today - such as evangelical, evangelion or gospel - come from the idiom of the Roman empire. So I love it! The word we use for the Kingdom of God - basilica - is the same word that was used for the empire and its realms. So in this sense I get it.

Shane Claiborne

So anyway... Olly is unwell - she got a tooth out today and is in some pain... and the girls went to a bible exhibition at my folks church tonight [they loved it].

As for me... I could be going to Philly... [I would love to go back].