Lent is Love
“Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dust forgive the sins of all those who are penitent…” These have to be some of my favorite words. Not just in the prayer book, but in general. Those words are the heart of my ministry: reminding people that there is nothing that can bring them outside the love of God and that Jesus is able and willing to forgive all sin.
Read more...Instapot Yoghurt
How to make homemade yoghurt in an Instapot. — Making yoghurt at home is easy, saves money, and is great for your gut biome and health.
Nashville Ice Storm Debrief
The last several days have been quite the event for the Arnold family and Nashville in general. Saturday1 a winter storm rolled into Nashville. Saturday brought snow, sledding, and a lot of fun. Sunday, however, I awoke to the sound of crashing limbs and reports of power going out all over town.
I awoke the family and began preparing. Based off our experience in December of ’22, we expected 24 to 48 hours without power. We quickly showered, filled the bathtub with water, made thermoses of coffee2, and pulled perishables for the next few meals out of the fridge and into a cooler to be left on the (below freezing) back patio.
Read more...Nerd Fitness Plan
There are many voices online — especially this time of year — giving advice on how to loose weight and get fit. As someone who’s been tubby and/or weak his entire life, I’ve listened to and tried much of this advice. They all absolutely work. But, they are not sustainable.
Observations from the Newly Fit
I thought it might be worthwhile to document my observations of what it’s like to be fit from the perspective of someone who never has been.
St. Joseph, Steadfast in Faith
St. Joseph is an important saint in my life. I first knew him, as most do, as simply the adopted father of Jesus. Hardly mentioned, hardly thought about. He helps Mary and then Mary and Jesus in their travels and then quietly disappears from the gospel story. Later, in ministry in the jail and on the streets, I came to know him as St. Joseph Terror of Demons. Finally, in the last few years through my work at Christ our Anchor I’ve come to know him as St. Joseph the Worker.
Read more...Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance
The second Sunday of Advent is, for me, when things start to feel real. When Advent truly starts.
In the first week, we’re still coming out of Thanksgiving, surprised we’re already in December, faced with blue after months of green, and thrown into remembering our place in the world, but not of it, as society begins feasting while we’re still reflecting and preparing.
In some ways, I wish we’d add a fifth week of Advent and just spend two weeks on the first readings. We read of the return of King Jesus, God making the world new, judgement, and hope. In the blur of it all, each year I feel like I don’t sit with that as long as I should.
Read more...Updated Training Routine
Since my last post in October, I’ve made some slight modifications to my strength training routine. I’ve got a new lifting routine that I’d like to share.