tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71281748175107312032024-10-17T18:51:30.005-05:00<center>opened eyes <br> John 9:15</center>David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-68107266861716893072016-01-08T23:20:00.000-06:002016-01-08T23:20:42.285-06:00

I need to be writing. It's something that's important for me as a pastor, a leader and a follower of Christ. I need to be taking positions, making those positions known and learning how to better communicate my thoughts through words on paper. Over the years I've obviously blogged here and there. The archives for this blog go back a long while - I know because I just read back through a few. At

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-91563495048378971002012-10-17T10:27:00.001-05:002012-10-17T10:28:48.131-05:00

I think proof of God is built into everything - I really, truly do. "The heavens proclaim the glory of God - the skies proclaim the work of his hands..." everything, everywhere evidences God in some way or another. Recently, I was thinking about this in the context of our joy. Especially with Christmas coming up, the notion of giving - the joy of giving - seems peculiar to me. What evolutionary

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-90764940889576512222012-10-09T10:11:00.001-05:002012-10-09T10:11:52.149-05:00

I was stuck over this weekend by thinking about how God is so much more awesome than we really give him credit for. In a lot of ways, we affirm God's goodness and love and mercy and awesomeness and holiness and all those things. And we get that stuff - we try to pack it in our little heads and go through life with it. But he's so much more! This was really driven home for me when I thought

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-8694514041382743112012-10-04T17:18:00.001-05:002012-10-04T17:18:36.862-05:00

I got pretty uptight yesterday when I read an open letter in our local newspaper. It read, "To the police departments of this nation I say: Though your eye seeks justice there is destruction in your wake. We've been using punishment for 2,000 years now. It does not work. If it worked we'd have no criminals. Damage pays for damage pays for damage until all you see is damage. Vengeance does not

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-49996056391059350642012-10-02T15:51:00.000-05:002012-10-02T15:51:52.279-05:00

Wow! I've been back, rocketing through past posts and reading what amounts to be an interesting, albeit very incomplete, diary of my past four and a half years in youth ministry. There are some good posts on this blog! Annnnddd... some not so good ones. Such is life. The past few days have been filled with a lot of nostalgia. I've been reading past conversations with friends, remembering good

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-90435103770886066392011-02-23T08:44:00.002-06:002011-02-23T09:22:28.728-06:00

I struggle to find a way to effectively write these thoughts; on the one hand, while I know that through grace there is, "eternal encouragement and hope," I'm also acutely aware of real pain, the real hurt, and the real sting of death.I've been thinking about these things - death, particularly - over the past week. While I was thinking and praying for a friend, a verse came to mind: I Corinthians

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-20174948338126058192011-02-18T09:44:00.006-06:002011-02-18T11:07:15.231-06:00

Wisconsin is in a state of turmoil. And everyone has an opinion.As I've watched countless friends and acquaintances chime into the state's budget discussion on Facebook or through other mediums, I've developed a bit of an opinion, as well. And, since I hadn't blogged in a while (and it's a longer opinion), I thought I'd share it here.My understanding is that these are some of the facts:We are in

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-44455819957029926302010-12-21T10:03:00.002-06:002010-12-21T10:42:54.774-06:00

I live in Wisconsin. And in Wisconsin, every few weeks I wake to a fresh fall of white, fluffy, beautiful, pristine... work. Isaiah likens a perfect snowfall to the spotlessness of our forgiven natures in Christ Jesus; I just can't help but see snow as a result of the curse.Seriously - check out Genesis 3. When God curses Adam in Genesis 3:17-19, he specifically curses Adam's toil and work of the

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-76622536398817336872010-06-22T17:31:00.002-05:002010-06-22T17:47:01.180-05:00

Christian rap has been gaining more and more prominence in the... well, the Christian sector. As I've listened (and enjoyed) Christian rap over the past few years, I've been particularly struck by the intelligence and depth of theological insight available specifically from the rappers. There's a refreshing influx of theological concepts. As the artist Flame notes, in regards to predestination: "

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-66124769527933082822010-06-16T10:27:00.001-05:002010-06-16T10:27:51.591-05:00

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-18521516316514841442010-06-08T13:38:00.003-05:002010-06-08T14:01:13.745-05:00

I work with students - that's my job. It's a strange job. (I was planning on continuing that sentance, but I thought it stood pretty well on it's own.) Working with students asks me to constantly take myself out of my life situation and think from within the context of a student's life situation. Even though I'm only 5 years removed from High School myself, so many things have changed.And so I

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-12022072628062261192010-06-04T13:04:00.002-05:002010-06-04T14:04:02.053-05:00

I ran into this thoughtful video clip from an interview with John Piper, in which he was asked, "What Should We Teach About Creation?"Truly, this is one of those topics that almost assuredly has some people running for cover, cowering in corners, and waving a white flag. It has others putting on battle armor and hoisting the cannons. In reality, even with many other hot-topic issues in today's "

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-47295765852536700582010-06-02T09:35:00.003-05:002010-06-02T09:58:55.537-05:00

I had some thoughts from I Peter 1 as I read it this morning; I was struck by Peter's starkly different perspective than we have- such an eternal perspective! Today, it's so common - and easy! - to become wrapped up into the day-to-day rigmarole of life, but it is the Christian's daily duty to separate, through the Spirit, the earthly from the eternal. Jesus makes this very distinction in Matthew

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-14947783324371380472010-06-01T10:36:00.003-05:002010-06-01T10:51:31.628-05:00

I'm listening to The Glorious Unseen currently, as I work. I switch between a pretty wide swath of what I consider, "listen-able" Christian music - stuff that will edify, encourage, and not distract me as I plug along in the office. Often, I'll turn the stuff off entirely; everywhere we go these days, there's ambient noise. It's to such an extent, I feel, that most people have fewer than two

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-86705411795122843292010-05-28T10:29:00.003-05:002010-05-28T12:08:17.158-05:00

Alright. I'm back, alive, and in the office after what might possibly have been the best week of my life. I'm now a husband (!), and life couldn't be better! I was so blessed by the countless well-wishes, love and support poured out by friends and family, and I'm so blessed now to start life as part of a new family - formed by God and for God.Over the next years, I'm sure my understanding of this

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-70668527698778779732010-05-19T11:20:00.005-05:002010-05-19T11:38:32.751-05:00

Here's a good article by Bill Allison, off of his Cadre Ministry Blog, titled, "Why You Should Give Up Your Christianity."His thesis question asks, "When did being a Christian become a separate thing from following Christ?" I would like to echo that notion (because I'm starting, "The Christian Atheist" tomorrow, I'm sure these questions will come up often over the next two weeks). In reality,

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-34997913533521791802010-05-18T17:43:00.004-05:002010-05-18T17:46:56.334-05:00

No, really. There's a face in the coffee.

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-27063432502000939822010-05-18T12:51:00.004-05:002010-05-18T13:25:27.030-05:00

I was driving into the McDonald's parkway this noonish-time, looking forward to a double-quarter pounder with cheese, large fry, and large Diet Coke. I always order Diet Coke, not because it's 'healthy,' but because I simply like how it tastes. It does seem ironic with my usual #4 though! As a side note, I was severely let down by the taste of the fries. A disappointment!As I was pulling in, I

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-35366971321690605922010-05-18T11:09:00.003-05:002010-05-18T11:23:21.832-05:00

I'll pass along an extended quote this morning from, 'Disconnected: Parenting Teens in a Myspace Word.' I briefly mentioned this book yesterday, but it's one I'm continuing through and finding both practical and insightful. Written by Chap and Dee Clark, it is filled with thorough research, convicting conclusions, and helpful directions. This quote is from Chapter 8, and found on pages 111-113:"

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-39797057929785197702010-05-17T12:47:00.002-05:002010-05-17T13:18:49.480-05:00

Just thoughts percolating through my mind this Monday morning:I've posted before (over a year ago, I believe) about the transparency Facebook allows teens to show. For a pastor, it's an interesting glimpse into what Chap Clark calls, "the world beneath." In his 2007 book, "Disconnected: Parenting Teens in a Myspace World," he says that openness and availability allow parents to "sit on the top of

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-46151873356892695642010-05-14T12:26:00.004-05:002010-05-17T13:36:39.613-05:00

If you haven't heard Matt Maher's new song, "Christ is Risen," I recommend it whole heartedly. In fact, if you haven't heard any of his music before, I highly recommend going and purchasing one of his albums. You will not be disappointed by his musical passion, his thought-provoking lyrics, or by his Christ-centered celebrations of God's grace.His song, "Christ is Risen" is both a celebration of

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-6990636426326615642010-05-12T09:40:00.004-05:002010-05-12T10:39:46.809-05:00

Alright. Hold on.The Common English Bible is about to be released, and you can sign up to receive your free copy of the New Testament here, when it's published in the upcoming months. Take a second and look at this video concerning the need for the translation:Common English Bible from Common English Bible on Vimeo.I've spent some time reading through the CEB's website, and from the looks of it,

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-41310936419344388202010-05-12T09:08:00.005-05:002010-05-12T09:15:36.600-05:00

I'm not going to be one to pass on a ton of fluff (or advertisements), but it appears TomTom, one of the makers of in-car GPS's (I have a Garmin), is getting ready to release Star Wars voices for their units. Currently, only Darth Vader will be released, but C-3PO, Yoda and Han Solo will be coming shortly. Personally, I was excited when I learned I could set my base model language to, "English -

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-386540368707336002010-05-11T14:15:00.002-05:002010-05-11T14:18:17.033-05:00

Great article here by John Dyer on technology vs. the family, titled, "Why You Need a Technology Basket." I'd like to stress the word, 'need,' he uses. It's not a 'should,' or a 'helpful' or a 'better.' It's a need, and I agree. I can tell you my family will be implementing something of the sort (just as soon as I get married in 10 DAYS).

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7128174817510731203.post-79555822044938588532010-05-11T10:07:00.002-05:002010-05-11T10:21:02.664-05:00

If you look to the right, a post by Kevin DeYoung, titled Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All The Time? is going viral among Reformed Blogs. I wanted to reference it as well, encourage you to look at it, and dig slightly deeper into one comment I think appropriate for youth.In short, DeYoung states that guilt is a natural consequence of sin. But yet, he writes, "I don’t believe God redeemed

David Bondesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06321424390540927107noreply@blogger.com0