Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Waiting
Friday, March 20, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
1 in 31 U.S. Adults are Behind Bars, on Parole or Probation
The Pew Center on the States has just released One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections, which provides a valuable portrait of corrections in the U.S. today. It is packed with valuable information, charts and graphs. And it couldn’t come at a better time as states across the country are facing massive deficits.
All told, over $68 billion was spent on corrections last year. Of this, the states spent $51.7 billion, which was one of every 15 general fund dollars. This is a 300 percent increase over 20 years ago, crowding out much needed funding for schools, roads and hospitals. Despite this huge increase in corrections spending, the recidivism rates have remained the same.
Clearly, our government leaders have to do something different. We just aren’t getting the “bang for the buck” from our corrections spending. The Pew Report provides a great deal of information about what we are spending, where it is being spent, and what the demographics are of those under correctional supervision. Of particular value are the factsheets for each of the 50 states. The report will be a goldmine of information for governors, state legislators, and reform advocates as they work to keep the public safe with fewer dollars. The good news is that the report demonstrates that it is possible to do that and provides examples of where it is working.
One fact jumped off the page at me. While over two thirds of the offenders are being supervised in the community, only 10% of correctional dollars are spent on them. Ninety percent is spent on prisons. This shortchanges the probation and parole staffs by severely underfunding them and burdening them with horrendous caseloads, and it essentially abandons those offenders struggling to make the difficult transition from prison to freedom. And, it increases the risk to the public.
From: Prison Fellowship
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
I Change the Title Again
The more I contemplated the new title, the more I hated it. So I changed it again.
The new title is - drum roll please - My Randomness.
Randomness is defined as the quality of lacking any predictable order or plan. I thought that summed this blog up pretty well.
The new title is - drum roll please - My Randomness.
Randomness is defined as the quality of lacking any predictable order or plan. I thought that summed this blog up pretty well.
Prayer
Thursday, March 12, 2009
New Name For My Blog
When I first started this blog, its purpose was for me to have a place to upload pictures from my cell phone for all the world to see - hence the title; Pictures From My Treo. While I still do that, it has grown to much more. As I see things that interest me on the web, here is a place where I can put where people can see what's going on in my head. Hey, that might actually be a good title. Here's What's Goin' on in Steve's Head. The web address will remain the same, so you won't have to change your favorites. I am in your favorites, right?
Is Christianity Compatible With Torture
As I watched this the other night, Hannity's comment really bothered me. Is it OK for a Christian to support torture. Maythis this is one of the reasons why many believers are disgarding the "Christian" label.
Check out this article at Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/id/188198
Would Your Church Leave a Hole in the Community?
From The Desert Pastor @ http://www.desertpastor.com/
Over the past several months I have repeatedly heard church leaders, it seems, talking about how important it is for the future of the church to move past our preoccupation with the numbers (i.e. people and offerings), and seriously start asking ourselves an important question:
How big of a difference are we making in our community, and if our congregation were to suddenly disappear, what size hole would we leave?
In part, as a result of our consumer-driven culture, most communities are filled with LOTS of churches. But how many of them are considered indispensible by the majority of citizens who live there? It's a notion most church leaders, I fear, have not given much thought to before, myself included. But since the beginning of this year, the idea surrounding how indispensible our congregation might be to our community has stopped being a question and has now become a challenge.
So where is your congregation in all of this? Where are you? Would you consider the question this post suggests to be valid? And if so, how might you suggest we measure this theoretical "hole?" To get you thinking, here are three possibilities:
How easy/difficult would it be for your community to replace your church's work among the poor and unemployed?
If your church were to stop doing for the community what it's been doing, would it make the front page? the back page? Any page?
Do the other congregations in your community look to your church for resources of any kind?
Over the past several months I have repeatedly heard church leaders, it seems, talking about how important it is for the future of the church to move past our preoccupation with the numbers (i.e. people and offerings), and seriously start asking ourselves an important question:
How big of a difference are we making in our community, and if our congregation were to suddenly disappear, what size hole would we leave?
In part, as a result of our consumer-driven culture, most communities are filled with LOTS of churches. But how many of them are considered indispensible by the majority of citizens who live there? It's a notion most church leaders, I fear, have not given much thought to before, myself included. But since the beginning of this year, the idea surrounding how indispensible our congregation might be to our community has stopped being a question and has now become a challenge.
So where is your congregation in all of this? Where are you? Would you consider the question this post suggests to be valid? And if so, how might you suggest we measure this theoretical "hole?" To get you thinking, here are three possibilities:
How easy/difficult would it be for your community to replace your church's work among the poor and unemployed?
If your church were to stop doing for the community what it's been doing, would it make the front page? the back page? Any page?
Do the other congregations in your community look to your church for resources of any kind?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
A Gift of a Bible
This is an interesting video from an athiest point of view. The one statement that he makes towards the end of the video is very profound: if I truly cared about someone, what wouldn't I share the Gospel with them?
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Have you read The Shack yet? If you want to know how God really feels about you, it's a must read!Click on the link below to watch the story behind the story by the author.
http://www.livinghopechurch.com/group/lhc/media_video/player/459
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Magnificent by U2
Are there any U2 fans that read this blog? This song is off their latest album.
Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent
I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent
Monday, March 2, 2009
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
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