It was better than a fishing trip together–and that is saying something.

My ten-year-old boy, Zeb, and I spent several days this week at the Monastery of the Ascension retreat house–a true Idaho treasure.

Our primary take-aways:

1. Kitchen work was accomplished quickly and efficiently. The monks go about their chores without complaining and without arguing. Lesson: When everyone pitches in and does their part, the work is not burdensome.

2. Rush and hurry come from being driven…peace comes from being called. Lesson: Slow down, pay attention to your call, and turn your back on the voices that demand your immediate attention. Seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else will work out just fine.

3. Life at the monastery revolves around set times for prayer. Lesson: Don’t try to squeeze time for prayer into your life; schedule your life around prayer. Nothing is more valuable and more powerful than prayer and meditation.

The last two lessons, especially, I hope never to forget. Zeb and I ordered a copy of Christian Prayer : The Liturgy of the Hours and have set up our own plan for joining in prayer with the Church.

At work (where I am called–not where I am driven), I have access to the Universalis site, where I can keep up with the prayer cycle on breaks. The attitude is crucial, it seems to me: I am not a worker finding time for prayer–but a man of prayer who also works.

Nothing Zeb and I have ever done–not even our fishing trip to Oregon two springs ago–has helped more to tighten our bond and open up dialogue between us than the trip to the monastery. We both look forward to a return trip soon.

How to locate a monastery or retreat center

Would you like to find a place to get closer to your children–or your spouse? Try a monastery. This link can help you find one: Retreat Finder.

May His love bless and keep you and yours on the journey.

In the incredible-but-true category comes news that Paula Deen–queen of the high-sugar, high-fat diet–was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago, but has kept the news under wraps until now.

(Apparently, she needed to first redirect her business venture so she could make money from the disease before letting her followers know that the advice she has been dishing out may just kill them.)

Interviewed on the Today Show recently, Deen says “I’m going to be there for you.” She forgot to add, “for a price.”

Forgive my vindictiveness here, if you will. With diabetes growing at epidemic proportions, it is difficult for me to smile at Deen’s over-played southern charm and chalk this one up to “ain’t she cute.”

With her new gig as spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company that supplies her diabetes medication, it may be that Anthony Bourdain was correct in his assessment of Deen as someone who “revels in her unholy connections with evil corporations” and is “proud of the fact that her food is (bleep) bad for you.”

There are times when the Occupy Wall Street slogans make sense to me. This is definitely one of those times.

Don’t worry. Keep shopping and cooking with Paula.

In the “Ya gotta love it” category today is this CBS News report on viral video gurus–The Gregory Brothers (and a wife/sister-in-law).

Big question from the reporter: Isn’t this mashup stuff belittling the original speakers?

Artists at heart, the Gregory Brother spokesman replies with compassion and insight.

What’s your take on this new way to turn serious matters into spoofs and commentaries?

The New Year brings new resolutions–a look back at what has been, and a look ahead to our dreams for what could be. Over Christmas this year, I resolved (along with millions of others) to make some serious changes in my diet…to lose weight and shape up physically.

Reading 1 Timothy 4 yesterday, though, I was reminded of reality:

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,[d] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers (NLT).

Looking ahead to my Dream Into It roadmap for the year, the diet disappeared–replaced by immersing myself in the Word and learning more about prayer and meditation. Yes, I want to cut back on calories, exercise more, and eat sensibly…but spiritual training is “much better.”

Along that line, here is today’s reading (via Laridian) from Daily Light on the Daily Path:

Sing to the LORD a new song.

Sing aloud to God our strength: make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.—He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee wherever thou goest.—The joy of the LORD is your strength.—Paul…thanked God, and took courage.

Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in revellings and drunkenness, not in immorality and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the lusts of flesh.

Isa 42:10, Ps 81:1-2 & 40:3, Jos 1:9, Ne 8:10, Ac 28:15, Ro 13:11-14

May the Lord bless and keep you. May this be the best new year ever for you and your family. May His Spirit draw you near to the One who gives Life, to the one who is Love, to the One who has all Wisdom and Power.

Some say the film proves Christians are lunatics (e.g. Becky Fischer telling children to repent), or hypocrites (Ted Haggard speaking out against homosexual behavior, then getting busted for practicing it), and most assuredly right-wing propagandists (Mike Papantonio throughout the movie, where staged scenes of him as a radio announcer portray him as engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the film).

Some say Jesus Camp is a powerful witness to the power of God at work in young people–and that Becky Fischer is spot on in her admonitions.

If you’ve seen the movie, what do you say?

Magnolia Pictures proclaimed“”One of the great strengths of the film is that it doesn’t come with any prepackaged point of view…”.

I’m not buying that.

It seems to me that Grady and Ewing, the film’s directors, slipped this one right by the folks who welcomed them into their homes and ministries. Jesus Camp portrays Christians as misguided, dangerous extremists. Bottom line.

Personally, I was challenged by the film to reconsider some things in my own life:

Am I willing to risk being seen as a fool by the world? “Stop deceiving yourselves,” says 1 Corinthians 3:18. “If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.”

Is my faith in the Creator strong enough to stand with Joshua and say, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)?

And do I agree there is a spiritual battle going on in this world? Do I acknowledge this life to be a training ground and proving ground–where my thoughts and actions have eternal consequence?

All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?

When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, [fn] you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.

For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink.

I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

(Matthew 25:33-46)

Heidi Ewing, in the interview above, brings out an amazing question–one she says many folks are asking themselves after viewing the film: “What are we doing as liberals to raise our kids with this kind of fervor?”

Turn on the television, Heidi. Go watch a Hollywood movie. Play a video game. Visit a public school. Or watch Jesus Camp. They are doing what those who oppose Christianity have always done–making the Word of God out to be a lie and a joke.