Jon C. Swanson's Blog, page 307

it is brain surgery.

I’m not a fan of gore. Which meant that I didn’t hit [buy] when I first heard about “No Place to Hide.” It’s the story of Dr. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon from Texas who goes to Iraq in 2004-5 and operates in the tents that make up an Air Force hospital.

Because it’s a surgeon’s view, there is a lot of detail about surgery. Brain surgery. The result of damage from IEDs and mortars, accidents and attacks. Operations on troops and translators and terrorists.

Because I have what I call a sympathetic...

Anatomy of a book recommendation

A couple weeks ago, I was writing about Sabbath. I got this email from my friend, Johanna Fenton. (She writes personally at Blip of Cheer and works for The Seed Company.) Because it so perfectly illustrates what I think are the very best book recommendations, I asked her if I could share it with you. It’s the second or third book I’ve bought because Johanna explained why she likes the book. And because I appreciate where her thinking takes her, I am curious about the books that direct her tho...

Five great lessons I haven’t yet learned.

I’ve got great friends with helpful ideas. I haven’t folded them into my life as well I would like. But they are worth sharing with you.

1. My friend Char explained how she made decisions about requests for her time. “I’ve got 168 hours in my week,” she said. “I have things in every space: work, family, rest. I have things that I am already lending support to. I have boards and projects. Every time someone asks for my time, I have to look at what I am doing and say, ‘what am I going to take ou...

Remember? The sabbath?

First published July 16, 2010

There are, as “everyone” knows, ten commandments. Some of us even remember them, or some of them.

Don’t kill. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal.

They are pretty clear. We try to figure out the edges, of course (“I’m just borrowing it. I was planning to pay it back”) but we have a sense of what they mean and some stirrings of “That’s not right.” Taking what belongs to someone else, whether life, relationship, or stuff, isn’t fair somehow.

Don’t lie about your neighbo...

listening to my own advice.

First published July 12, 2012.

I decided recently to take a two-day retreat. I was reminded again that I struggle with stopping, even when I have the opportunity. As I was in the middle of my personal frustration, I texted to Nancy, “If I were helping someone else understand what to do, I would have some direction.” So I decided to talk to myself.

And then share it with you.

1. Shrink your agenda to “listen for Jesus.” You do that by saying “I want to hear You as I am walking through today.” And...

calling a time-out

First published July 30, 2012

In many games, players can call “time-out”, usually at the coach’s direction. The game stops. The clock stops. And the players can rest for a moment. A coach can describe the next play. In some sports, players can call “time-out” several times during the game.

We could imagine, I suppose, a coach who said “I’m not going call any time-outs. It’s a sign of weakness.” I can also imagine that coach being booed by fans. The time-out is part of the game. It helps everyon...

Sabbathing better next year.

First published March 11, 2013

We were talking about Sabbath on Saturday night in our Sabbath group. I don’t have time or space or energy to capture the whole conversation. But somewhere in the middle of the conversation, I said that many people don’t like the idea of Sabbath because they think it feels legalistic. They start trying to figure out what counts as work and what doesn’t. They start worrying about what other people will think about them. And other people like the idea but they thin...

As simple as a click.

First published January 17, 2013

A bunch of guys, sitting around a campfire, laughing with Jesus. That’s what it was like. Or a group of women and men sitting on a hillside, trying to figure out what the truly good life looks like, with Jesus offering counsel, providing examples, challenging assumptions.

We make being a disciple really complicated. So complicated that many of my friends think they don’t know enough. So we keep reading, keep taking classes, keep talking inearnestvoices about wha...

Different Pencils

First published March 2, 2012.

I enjoy making birthday cards by hand. I use colored pencils. I always sharpen them with a small Xacto knife, to maximize the lead from each pencil. If I used a pencil sharpener, I would not notice the different types of wood that make up each pencil. Even though my colored pencils all the same brand, the wood of some is harder than the wood of others.

We are all made differently. Even though we know that, deep down we expect people to think and act the same as us...

First published March 2, 2012.I enjoy making birthday ca...

First published March 2, 2012.

I enjoy making birthday cards by hand. I use colored pencils. I always sharpen them with a small Xacto knife, to maximize the lead from each pencil. If I used a pencil sharpener, I would not notice the different types of wood that make up each pencil. Even though my colored pencils all the same brand, the wood of some is harder than the wood of others.

We are all made differently. Even though we know that, deep down we expect people to think and act the same as us...