Bottom line is this: they found cancer in her thyroid gland (orignially they thought it was only in the nodule on her thyroid gland). This news doesn’t change the prognosis, as the surgeon had already ordered treatment. This only means that treatment is not an option, it’s a definite. Despite the report, they are still calling it stage 1, because Amanda is young, healthy, and this is a very treatable cancer.

Nonetheless, continued prayer is greatly appreciated.

The surgeon was very please with the operation and how my wife responded to everything. We were told that if it was found to be cancerous, she would be in the hospital for 3-4 days. So to be home the next day is a great surprise.

She will receive follow-up treatment in a month or so through a non-invasive form of radiation. After that, doctors will monitor her, but no other action is anticipated.

She will be fully recovered in a few weeks, and in the meantime, she is resting and anxiously awaiting to get Kennedy back in her arms.

Everyone’s thoughts, prayers and well-wishes are greatly appreciated.

Head over there, meet my daughter, and join the party.

Of course I am sure there will be plenty of proud dad moments on the blog, but the topic of discussion will revolve around…

Exploring the theological implications of creativity.

In the mean time, if you have any parenting advice, or well wishes for Baby and Mom, I’d love for you to leave them in the comments section. Be well and see you soon!

Sam

The producer generation has limitless connections, and it seems like six degrees of separation has become more like two or three with the networks of Facebook, Twitter, and the like. This generation values and understands the necessity of collaboration. We have a deep desire for community, and the humble (although many times this gets overshadowed by insecurity) sense that we can’t do it alone.

If the church can embrace and empower artistic collaboration as a new generation explores past the boundaries the previous generation placed on our faith, the possibilities are endless.

Our faith will take on new dimensions, our understanding of God will be stretched and deepened and our communities will become stronger. Even our Bibles will embrace a more holistic view of the faith that would have seemed heretical in the previous generation.

You can sample The Voice by downloading the Gospel of John, here.

Allow me to make a few personal comments:

• I love the church (I’ve served in both paid and unpaid capacities)
• I believe in the church and it’s future
• I want to be a part of the church’s revitalization with this generation

At times, I may write about topics from a seemingly annoyed or impatient place. That’s because I believe in the potential of the church, and I hate to see it wasted away fussing over things that don’t carry eternal weight.

At times, I may seem to flippantly disregard traditions of the faith. That’s because if it is a dead tradition, I believe we should move on. There are certain traditions of the faith that come through mandates – such as communion and baptism – but the others that surfaced through what worked hundreds (or even 10) years ago need to be treated as such.

I desire to be a voice that spurs on the saints of this generation. I desire to stand on the shoulders of those who have come before me, and keep my eyes forward, sensitive to what God is doing now. I want to join in the work of the Spirit, and that requires growth, movement and a decision that I won’t settle (but also not neglect) what I know, where I’ve been and what I am comfortable with.

I don’t want to be a hater. I want to be a catalyst.

The falling action often serves to tie up loose ends, and provide the author a way to close any unresolved or unresolvable issues. All too often, the falling action is where a story slips away from the reader, coasting to a stop devoid of much impact. The falling action of a story can quite simply kill the entire book if not done well. It can lessen the impact of the protagonist, it can create emotional distance between the story and the reader and it can cause you to feel as though you’ve wasted your time.

This difficult place in any story, is where we find ourselves in the story of our faith. The climax, featuring our messiah hung on a cross for all to see, and rising to take his place in glory, has passed. His story lives through us, but we are still not to the final page. The unresolved issues are being cleaned up and the unresolvable issues are refusing to budge. There is a great tension in the falling action, as everyone awaits the conclusion. Will it be worth it? echoes around both the participants and the spectators alike.

The promise of a new creation keeps us moving. The promise of a renewed kingdom with all things restored carries the story on. And we are the fabric of the story, the flesh and bones that get to walk out the final pages. We get to help usher in the new creation. It’s an active role. We are not here to simply watch the story resolve itself, but rather, to help bring resolution to the story.

We are all creators that greatly reflect the Creator who spun the story together.

• Red Bubble
• Soul Pancake
• Behance Network

What’s your dream job?

I can’t be any more excited to announce the death of this blog. While it may seem strange, I truly feel that this blog must die in order to make room for what’s ahead. And what’s ahead just so happens to be CreativeTheology.com. If you have been reading this blog for long, you’ve seen the progression of my content (hopefully) and a sharper focus on issues of faith and creativity. A blog subtitle just wasn’t cutting it, so with the help of Samwell Creative, you will soon get to see the brand new CreativeTheology.com.

In the mean time, there are a few things you can do:

Head over and sign up for the RSS FEED or sign up to receive blogs posts through email. You’ll never miss a thing. Once you’ve done that, feel free to tell all your friends :)