Steven Paul Magstadt

Just checking to see if my traffic increases.

The load I carry on the way

The Interior Castle reflection

Physical and mental activities in a week: What can I reduce to give more time to the Disciplines?

• Sermon preparation
• Filing
• Writing
• Sleeping
• Watching tv
• Cleaning
• Watching the children
• Answering the many demands of a three and one year old
• Painting
• Working at the coffee shop
• Driving
• Being anxious
• Being depressed

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 93% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 86% Reformed Evangelical 71% Roman Catholic 61% Neo orthodox 61% Charismatic/Pentecostal 54% Fundamentalist 50% Classical Liberal 50% Modern Liberal 36% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

I'm surprised that the pentecostal/charismatic is so low and the holiness strain is so high. But the top line is righ on!

A little bit

We gave a dollar to Katrina Relief at the grocery store today. I almost laugh at how small a gift it was, yet it was the first time we supported relief monetarily. It has been a very difficult week financially, living on tips, gifts and fumes in the tank. Still we are blessed beyond all measure. Somehow I need to respond to the blessings we have recieved. I will pop over to the A/G website and set up a donation right now.

See more progress on: Help victims of Hurricane Katrina

So far

We held a special community service Sunday Evening. We thougth the 9/11 rememberance would be a poingiant context to talk about trageties. Of course we focused mainly on the Hurricane, but our thoughts and prayers also went to those trampled on the bridge in Bahgdad.

The crowd was small, but we did collect $384. We have put that into our local fund for helping people with emergencies, with the full expectation that there will be opportunity in the near future to help people affected by the hurricane locally.

Other than planning and participating in that service with the other area pastors, I still haven’t decided how I would directly help those affected. We’ve thought about donating a vehicle, though at the moment being physically involved in some way seems most appealing.

I reaffirmed my commitment to helping by signing The Katrina Pledge

1. I pledge to be personally involved in helping those whose lives have been affected by this natural disaster – by praying for the victims and their families and by offering my time, talents, and resources to relief and recovery ministries that are meeting their needs.

2. I pledge to work for sweeping change of our nation’s priorities. I will press my elected representatives to protect the common good – especially the needs of our poorest families and children – rather than supporting the twin social disasters of tax cuts for the rich and budget cuts that hurt the poor.

See more progress on: Help victims of Hurricane Katrina

Praying today

at the coffee shop today I prayed Lauds and The office of reading. I have found it refreshing and remarkably easy to keep up with. Its nice having it on my pda with avantgo and universalis.

See more progress on: Pray the hours

trying to help

I’ve emailed our local redcross chapter to see about helping to provide housing. We are pretty stressed finacially in this area, but our local ministerial group talked last week about how we wanted to do something practical to help. I haven’t heard back from the redcross, but I have forwarded the number to the help line to the group since I couldn’t be at the meeting this morning.

We are having a joint evening service on 9/11 and will probably take up an offering for hurcaine aid.

See more progress on: Help victims of Hurricane Katrina

Compline

I watched Born Without a Face last night. Like other TLC stories, this one touched my emotions. I felt love for Juliana through her parents.  It was like she was Ella and I was hugging and kissing her before a surgery.  I think there is something sacramental about putting yourself in the place of another.  Perhaps that is why I like acting.  After watching the show I had to give the kids an ardent good night kiss and hug them, though they were asleep already.  

I also felt I had to pray.  The emotions and images wouldn’t leave me alone.  I got on universalis and prayed compline.   Ray Orth sent me an email asking me how the hours were going, and I had to admit since my Lent book ran out, I haven’t tried much.  This Sunday night, last night and now twice today universalis has been a joy and succor to my soul. I’ve missed praying the psalms.    

Consecration

The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life, Nelson Royal Classics By Hannah Whitall Smith

Often I have held on to the "Not-yet" part of my salavation. It reminds me that there is still a world of discipleship yet to be experienced. Reading this book focuses me on the already of salvation - that I have consecrated myself, given myself as an offering to him. What is given to him is recieved and made holy because he who recieves it is holy. Resting in this fact means not questioning the truth of my consecration even when I fail. Does my sin mean that I am not God's? No. Only that I stand in need of Grace yet, and rest in the knowlege and belief that God gives grace.

It is refreshing to think of sanctification in terms, not of doing, but of resting and trusting. Thank you my Father and King for recieving my offering of my body.