I sort of feel the need to post something just because I haven't in a long time. Life's been quite busy and the usual summer activities aren't all that conducive to blogging.

Highlights recently have included meeting the well-known Christian blogger Adrian Warnock for a portrait shoot; and Celebration Northeast, an annual meeting of the Newfrontiers churches in this part of the country and Canada. (Audio of the messages should be posted to that site soon). It was a fantastic time of encouraging messages from John Lanferman, Steven Van Rhyn, and Ian Ashby; stirring worship; and great fellowship with new friends and old. Saturday night was a particularly powerful time of worship as the Holy Spirit invaded and touched many people. Two of my friends had bad knees healed. I'm sure there were many other healings I haven't heard of. I personally had a very touching encounter with God. All in all it was a great weekend; the sense was of the church on a mission and of joyful celebration of all that God has done and is doing.

I'm rather amused by the fact that of the minor prophets, the ones I've been most struck by are the ones starting with "H". (See Hosea and Habakkuk). The last H is Haggai, and he's no exception.

Haggai prophesied to the Jews after they'd returned from exile in Babylon. The purpose of his prophecy was to encourage them to rebuild God's temple, which had lain neglected due to opposition from surrounding nations and the Israelites' lack of faith.

The Lord's message through Haggai was this:

People seem amusingly confused sometimes about exactly what "meat" means. Two conversations within a week of each other:

1. At rehearsal dinner for wedding #1:

Friend: Is this soup vegetarian?

Waitress: Yes. It's made from beef broth and vegetables.

2. At reception for wedding #2:

Me: Do these beans have meat in them?

Family member who cooked food: No, they just have bacon.