 To review: (1) God enables my pursuit of virtues. (2) God equips believers with virtues including hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and forgiveness. (3) I pursue these virtues and gain experience and discernment. (4) People of like mind help me discover and deploy one or two specialized aptitudes which help the group serve people. Specialty virtues include seeing things from God's point of view, serving, teaching, giving, organizing, and mercy. These are just examples. God enables other spiritual gifts as he wishes. God's people have long pursued these virtues. Some do so with simple openness to God's direction. Some people are more systematic. Thus, the Wesleys’ 22 questions urge a person to ask of themselves daily probing questions: Can I be trusted? Am I enjoying prayer? Am I humble? Do I obey God in all things? Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography included his secular self-improvement program concerning 13 virtues, focusing on just one virtue per week. Other personal constitutions have been published, several since 1989 based on Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We mentioned Covey but did not list his 7 habits. They are: Be proactive (take responsibility).... Begin with the end in mind (have a plan and vision).... Put first things first (Prioritize).... Think win-win (Seek mutual benefit).... Seek first to understand, then to be understood (Listen with empathy).... Synergize (Value diverse opinions).... Sharpen the saw (Seek continuous improvement).... Personal constitutions are essentially a list of virtues or desirable practices. New Year's Resolutions are another such a list. The Single Question of Highly Effective Saints  We now turn to a Christian personal constitution that is not a list of questions, virtues, habits, or resolutions. I find in it some issues. Still in its way it can touch every situation of life. Millions have followed it daily since Iñigo (aka Ignatius) from the town of Loyola in Spain, first published it in 1522: This is The Examen. With Ignatian Examen, I would take time once or twice a day to read scripture and pray, focusing gratitude and dependence on God for direction. These alone are worthy activities. Next, I iterate through my memory of events in my life since the previous Examen. An event can be an experience, my thoughts, my feelings, or my action: admiring the sunrise, worrying about a conversation, eating breakfast, something I read. I review each event for a few seconds with a single yes or no question: Did this event move me closer to God? Of course to answer this, I need a sense of what God wants.
After my review of my events, I wrap up with prayer to God. I can log discoveries and resolutions. Elegant, right? No 110 rules, 22 questions, 13 virtues, or 7 habits. Though simple, there are weaknesses in the Ignatian Examen. I won't see the significance of some events in my life. I might over-emphasize some events. What feels like a humbling downer for my pride might be a step toward God’s way. I might judge illogically: by immediate effects, not considering likely consequences. I might obsess over defects that God is already forgiving and healing. What seems like an opportunity to serve may be over-reaching. What seems like punishment may be opportunity. Ignatius recognized such issues. His original book on Examin is 150 pages long. In his “Second Week” instructions Ignatian identified supporting activities before and after the central review.
Jesuit teachers call the above typically daily steps the Awareness Examen. If emphasizing thoughts and feelings (instead of experiences and actions), this is Consciousness Examen. If focused on a particular virtue or habit, this is Particular Examen. If focused on identifying and dumping sins, this is General Examen of Conscience and is a recommended preliminary to Confession. In his Spiritual Exercises for the Second Week, Ignatius considered several complications and how to avoid them. These tend to involve feelings. The Second Week comments address puzzlements not clearly covered by scripture, by the teachings of the Church, or by the counsel of wise believers. Who should I marry? What work should I pursue? Where is my hairbrush? A more controversial activity associated with Ignatian Examen is Imaginative Prayer. This begins as above: Read scriptures and pray. Additionally ask that the Holy Spirit work through my imagination. We want to turn up imagination of the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell… Memory works through connections, and the idea is to enhance scripture memory and insight via sensory connections, even just imagined ones. Thus, selected scripture could be a gospel event or stories in which I might have participated had I been there: Jesus being born. Jesus healing the lame, feeding the crowd, celebrating Passover,… these contain sensory impressions waiting to be enhanced. Imagine chatting with other Judean spectators, hearing of their anxiety and fatigue before Jesus gave them bread and fish. Imagine being the blind man who fumbled his accustomed route in darkness until Jesus gave him sight. Having mastered these safe imaginations, you can level up to Examen Contemplation and Examen Colloquy. In these you approach Jesus on the cross and ask him how he can forgive—and he answers you. He tells you how you can forgive. Or buzz by a TARDIS on your way to creation and ask Father God about quarks or hell or raising children. Prompted by Psalm 139, ask God about his creation of you. Discover that God loves you. Certainly, ask something of a saint—Mary the mother of Jesus is always popular. What are those things she hid in her heart? How did Jesus act at funerals?  Of course, the problem is not asking questions. The problem is not fanfic and Mary Sue. The problem is imagining a reply from Jesus, God, or Mary. Does that reply come from the Almighty or from my hopes or fears? From the Holy Spirit, or from the tempter? Holy Holodecks, I could fantasize Jesus confirming my stupid desires: Verily, Robin Hood, do rob that bank; just give some to the poor. Safeguards against wayward imagination are the Examen's prescribed use of the Biblical precedent, the "Teachings of the Church", and Spiritual Directors. Google, "AI", and social media can bring you trustworthy sources, opinions, or confident lies. Toward the end of Spiritual Exercises, under the heading Greater Discernment of Spirits (p 169 in the pdf), Ignatius deals with many possible insights discovered in Examen. His advice is to recheck your current position and especially your current trajectory. The first rule: continuing in serious sin is bad, even if you feel good about it. “In the persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin,… the enemy commonly proposes to them apparent pleasures… The good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason.”  Compare with the third rule: “the evil angel enters the devout soul with good and holy ambitions; but then little by little he aims at drawing the soul to his covert deceits and perverse intentions.” In other words, “It’s a trap!” In many Psalms, David and others requested justice or vengeance. Jesus gives us even more confidence to come to God (Hebrews 4:15-16). But there’s such a thing as presumptuous prayer (Psalm 19). So be extremely careful with imagined directives. Seek external confirmation. I’m not a 100% cessationist; but I know that words from God tend to be on his initiative and through his means, confirmed by his miracles to certify his truths in his time. Supporting Ignatian Examen, there is a sizable stack of devotion books, Apps, and web sites . They offer preparatory scriptures, canned prayers, suggested music, discussion prompts, and other customizations for students, athletes, business people, mothers, fathers, etc. You just bring your experiences, thoughts, feelings, and action. Most I’ve seen are decidedly Roman Catholic. Jesuit retreat centers sponsor weekends or longer retreats saturated in Ignatian Examen. Practically all weekend you will be in silence except for chapel prayers and singing. Can’t go to a retreat? Some monasteries and churches offer Ignatian groups via Zoom. Several non-Catholic church groups conduct spiritual direction retreats that are mostly Ignatian Examen but basically Biblical. There have been secular outfits that claim connection with Christian spirituality, but watch out: “It’s a trap!” At its heart, the Ignatian Examen shines a flashlight on each of my events today, and asks, “Did this event move me closer to God?” Other Christian contemplative methods tend to add a few more questions. They are not hard to find. Here is one such Examen core from a Franciscan community:
 The Seven Spiritual Weapons of Saint Catherine of Bologna A method of Christian spiritual growth might not use questions. Instead, it can spotlight values or goals or “Life Verses”. These are a little like Franklin pursing his 13 favored secular virtues. Catherine was an inspiring painter and musician in Bolagna, Italy. No introspective wimp she. From about 1463, she lists her weapons of integrity and progress.
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 George Washington Toward the end of February the US Senate performs a Senate activity repeated every year since 1893. It is a 45-minute reading of George Washington’s Farewell Address. This document is way longer than many personal constitutions. Nevertheless, it quite conveys the ideals and advice of a respected leader practicing what he preached. What advice would you leave for people you love? Please don’t take as representative of President Washington's values his widely-circulated “110 Rules of Civility” (more compactly here). As a teenager he simply copied these rules from a century-old textbook. Quite likely this was a school assignment, possibly a penmanship exercise. If you know teenage boys, you know they generally need such rules as number 4, “In the Presence of Others Sing not to yourself with a humming Noise, nor Drum with your Fingers or Feet.” Or number 107, “If others talk at Table be attentive but talk not with Meat in your Mouth.” Though longish, read Washington’s Farewell Address. It is worthwhile, even as an annual reflection. You might skip his warnings about foreign entanglements, cautions about political parties, concerns about government debt, and so on—if you dare.  Thomas Jefferson The third US President wrote several short notes to youngsters summarizing his principles and practices. Here is the earliest and longest, titled “A Dozen Canons of Conduct in Life”. He sent this to his granddaughter instead of the expected two-dollar bill with his picture on it. Items with * were omitted in later versions sent to other young people. TJ took rule number 5 quite seriously.
These slightly cryptic maxims trace to Greek philosophers. For example, the Stoic named Epictetus wrote, “Every event has two handles, one by which it can be carried, and one by which it cannot. If your brother does you wrong, don’t seize upon his wrong, because this is the handle incapable of lifting…”. Besides quoting Stoics and Epicureans—in Greek, French, and English!—Jefferson famously distilled a collection of Jesus’ words. However, he omitting from his harmony of the gospels anything supernatural: Claims of deity, angels, miracles, and the resurrection? Gone. Jefferson explained his super-condensed Bibles—he made two—in an 1813 letter to John Adams: “We must reduce our volume to the simple evangelists, select, even from them, the very words only of Jesus, …. There will be found remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man. I have performed this operation for my own use, by cutting verse by verse out of the printed book, and arranging the matter which is evidently his, and which is as easily distinguishable as diamonds in a dunghill.” I repudiate Jefferson’s abuse of indigenous people and slaves, and reject his deism, “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” Still, I do admire that Jefferson’s personal constitution was just Jesus’ words: nothing more, nothing less. Whereas US Senators hear Washington’s words every February, US Presidents—really, everybody—would do well to give as much attention to Jesus’ words as did President Thomas Jefferson.  Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin published a strikingly systematic yet humane set of resolutions. And that’s not all! Regarding these resolutions, he set up a simple system for his own performance evaluation. This thorough attention to virtues doesn’t compensate for Franklin’s promotion of daylight saving time. Or his wishy-washy deism. Still, compared to the other personal constitutions, individual agendas, resolutions, and maxims of his era, I see Franklin’s as clearer, more doable, and more adaptable to my use. Here's his list:
Here is Franklin’s own enjoyable explanation of his motivations and the development process. http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/autobiography/page38.htm Franklin included humility, chastity, and perhaps some other virtues because people told him that he was not good at them! He was particularly keen to not just admire virtue, but to do virtue. His approach was intentional—not accidental—daily practice and streamlined daily self-evaluation. So as not to confuse himself, he resolved to focus on just one virtue per week. With 13 virtues on the list, that’s 13 weeks before starting over. 13 weeks times 4 is 52 weeks. See what he did there? Here’s a clearer presentation of his calendar: https://blogs.library.unt.edu/untdocsblog/2014/01/17/11/ This report and encouragement comes from a fellow who followed Franklin’s Plan for a decade. Virtuous To-Do Lists
Question: Are there virtues that you would add to Franklin’s list? Would you trim any? My priorities would be kindness (or agape) and discernment replacing silence and moderation. Really, what’s worse than a silent ax-murderer, if not a moderate silent ax-murderer? Consider Hebrews 11, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Consider Matthew 6, "If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive, ...." Franklin’s list of virtues reminds me of several New Testament lists: Galatians chapter 5 (ESV) “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Colossians chapter 3 “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Romans chapter 12 “We all have different gifts … prophecy … serving … teaching … encouraging others … giving to others … leading … showing mercy. 2 Peter chapter 1 “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,… For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I have talked to Christians who objected to the idea of becoming a better Christian. I would not call them lazy. They languidly pointed out that Christ Jesus has already done all that can be done to please God. Moreover, God has already programmed each person’s future. Service may come. If they need preparation or discernment, God will provide. They cite Ephesians 2: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (More) They sit back and enjoy the ride on the train from St. Augustine to Calvinville. Those, ahem, determined believers are rare. Few Christians are completely passive. God calls us holy and saints. Most of us want to match such titles with improved thought, feelings, and action. So it was with college students John Wesley (1703-1791), his brother Charles, and some friends. They formed a club that advanced the following 22 yes or no questions to track daily their lifelong pursuit of holiness. Tally how well you do on these 22 questions. I’ve rephrased some so that answers of “yes” are always desirable. 22 “yes” answers puts you close to Jesus.
I find this is a tough list. What else would you consider? How about, "Have I been generous? Have I encouraged anyone? Have I forgiven? Have I gone the second mile? ..." Lists like these bug me. They easily spotlight my errors, fumbles, and opportunities missed. It's also possible to compose a list where I get an A+. Consider the story of “The Good Samaritan” in Luke chapter 10. The two jerks who passed by the injured man could congratulate themselves: Yes! I preserved my ritual purity and journeyed on to fulfill my appointed godly duties. Yay me. Jesus asked concerning the three passers-by, “which was the neighbor?” Jesus did not hesitate to ask clear but challenging questions. A scorecard like the above can be a private record or used as the Wesleys did in accountable and more nearly objective review. Wesley's use was in a small group. Wesley's journal notes how the of these and subsequent coworkers helped him. The Moses of Methodists John Wesley later published four amendments that also can present as yes or no questions. A. Am I absolutely open and unreserved with all I should converse with? B. Do I labor in continual seriousness, not willingly indulging myself in any the least levity of behavior, or in laughter; no not for a moment. C. Do I speak no word that does not tend to the glory of God; in particular, do I not talk of worldly things? D. Do I take no pleasure which does not to the glory of God; thanking God every moment for all I do take, rejecting every sort and degree of it which I feel I cannot so thank Him in and for? Wot, no lafs? Jesuits use “spiritual exercises” to grow; we’ll see some of that subsequently. Of course, Methodists use methods. Historically, the main method has been discipleship in the form of a weekly small group meeting. The leader would begin by asking an open-ended question, “How is it with your soul?” There would be Bible study, and review of the General Rule of Discipleship evidenced in acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion. The small group enhances self-examination and is inclined to compassionately critique, encourage, and assist. Footnote 1: Already noted in the New Testament is tension over faith vs works, determinism vs free-will, original sin vs responsibility, and more... These surface in Pelagianism and continue today. Footnote 2: In the above screed I have focused on the Christian denomination, "Methodist". My focus will move on to look at lowercase "m" "methodists". That "methodist" is one who lives life life and pursues personal development via conscious rules of conduct and of personal evaluation: a method. The goals and evaluations that interest me must be more objective than, "if it feels good, do it" or, "go with your gut". The above unstructured 22 questions form such a method. It explicitly and implicitly accepted certain values, goals, and practices. The Stoic Enchirodon, the Ignatian Examen, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are other such methods. I aim to touch on a few more methods of Christian personal growth.  Should you write a “Personal Constitution”? This is a potentially rewarding—and potentially obsessive—practice of listing your values, ambitions, and practices. On first pass such a list will be inaccurate—too conceited, too modest, just ignorant. After several passes and amendments, my own list became too wordy. It remained useless until I boiled it down to two primary practices of two words each. “A doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient” (Dr. William Osler). “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit." (Philippians 2) Start quietly, but don't finish your personal constitution in isolation. Instead, consider that sharing and refining personal constitutions can help the individuals involved and the community of Christ! Decades ago, around once a year, believers I knew shared perceptions concerning one another. I remember being completely surprised at good things and deplorable things other people saw in me. Such confrontation encouraged us to discern and to develop “the better angels of our nature.” Here in February—between New Year resolutions, reviewing finances and taxes, spring cleaning, and daily news involving the national constitution—right now is as good a time as any to begin. Effort now is an investment that can grow to help you and others rationally face life’s persistent questions.
 In a previous post I cautioned concerning psych self-assessments and the Christianized versions, Spiritual Gifts Inventories. Too often these quizzes are not used as collaborative tools to build coworker communities. In isolation they become mirrors to confirm vanity, self-loathing, or sloth. “Personal Constitution” is the term Peter Covey floated in his 1989 business-oriented best-seller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The practice of forming such a mission statement, credo, prime directive, philosophy, or rule of life is far from new. In subsequent posts I'll link to diverse personal constitutions from such eminents as Socrates, Confucius, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards, the Wesley brothers, Ignatius of Loyola, and others.
Besides constructing your motto, be aware of Biblical statements of purpose, including:
 Several families were visiting at my house for a Christmastime Bible Study. The study was not in English. I took my usual role as child wrangler. The most respected gift, I think, is to give one’s self. The kids—mostly talkative five-year-olds—ran to the Christmas tree. They were closely inspecting its decorations. “Kan zhi-ge! ” “Look at these!” One girl exclaimed, “Uncle Greg, we make these lights! We make these lights!” I asked, “Do you have a Christmas tree at home?” She calmed down. “Little tree,” she murmured. “we do not make lights for it. Not our lights.” Crouching down, I pressed, “How did you make these lights on this tree in my house?” She looked at me. She exhaled. She spoke slowly so I could understand. I don't recall the exact words. The explanation went something like this: We make these lights where we live in Taiwan. We make little lights at my house. Not here. At my house in Taiwan. Every day, we make little lights. We do not keep little lights. We sell them. Then I understood. In Taiwan, her family assembled Christmas light strings in their apartment. These five-year-olds were concerned about how my lights were spaced. Were bulbs solid color or blotchy? Could light strings join end-to-end? Which is better, blink or not blink? Which is better, blue or white? The young Quality Assurance team finally approved my tree's workmanship and presentation. Since then, when I visit local stores—even if not intending to buy—I scrutinize Christmas decorations for sale. From where did they come? Taiwan, People’s Republic of China, Viet Nam, India, Mexico, the Czech Republic…? I wonder, did they come from children's hands or from automation? What does it profit a kitchen-based factory when I buy fifty of their lights for two dollars? When I ask adult visitors about Halloween items, they thoroughly dislike the uglies. But they are intrigued by Christmas stuff. They ask, why do people with so many trees buy a plastic tree? Why buy so much sparkly stuff? What if you do not have snow? What’s with the old man in red clothes? Is he a Buddha? Is the baby his grandson? Do the animals eat the baby? Do Americans really eat bread with every meal? China is the world’s largest Bible publisher, thanks to Nanjing-based Amity Press…. For the world’s largest Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), more than three quarters of its production costs are incurred in China.” Christianity Today, June 2019 What do the workers infer about the buyers of their product, whether cute lights or big books? What things might I buy that would stir the producer’s interest in God’s kingdom? The answer is above.  The inspectors swarmed off to use the carpeted stairs as a toboggan run. I grabbed big plush animals to stand guard with me at the bottom of the stairs. When the kids tired, we played with my “Made in China” nativity set. We talked about the star, the people, and the animals. We learned about the best gift: the child, the gift that is too wonderful for words.   It's rare that I get quite so emotional as I did with the attached video. This may have to do with visiting this year so many American civil war battlefields near my northern Virginia location. The song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" uses an 1863 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow was a Harvard professor who had toured Europe apparently to learn to translate eight languages. He left academe, becoming a versatile, lyrics-slinging poet/rockstar. Here was a man who had lost first wife Mary to miscarriage and second wife Frances to a fire that scarred his own face and body. Here was a dedicated abolitionist and pacifist whose son joined the Union Army. Said son took a bullet to the spine, and now in December 1863 was back home in Massachusetts being nursed to health by his father. Here was a man who on December 25, 1863 wrote the following verses mixing pain and resolve. 1. I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 2. And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 3. Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! [Verses 4 & 5 are omitted from most recent presentations.] 4. Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 5. It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 6. And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" 7. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men. Luke chapter 2 verses 10-14 But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!” New English Translation and others Rocks ... Longfellow Bio ... Charlie ... Quotes ... Movie ... SATB  Where I stood was mud the day before. Now that farm road was frozen hard as iron. I pondered: “The TV bosses let a kid quote the Bible for a minute. Maybe there's hope for this world!” This nostalgic moment is easy for me to pinpoint. I was waiting for the school bus at 7:45 a.m., Friday, December 10, 1965. Many others also were reflecting on the previous evening’s premiere of A Charlie Brown Christmas.  Over the background brain jazz of “Christmastime is Here” and “Linus and Lucy”, I reconsidered the words of Linus and Luke: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields…”. Commercials urging “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should” and “See the USA in your Chevrolet” had given way to "Glory to God in the highest!" Scary scenes from Selma and Viet Nam were for a while displaced by "Peace on earth, good will to men.” And by a blue blanket. Most of the Peanuts kids—kids like me—knew well the Christmas biz. As Lucy confided, “We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket! It's run by a big eastern syndicate you know!” She urged, “Get the biggest aluminum tree you can find, Charlie Brown, maybe painted pink!” For me, the compelling character in Peanuts was not Charlie Brown, though I felt his pain. Snoopy was more flamboyant than anyone I knew. I was a Linus fan. Later I learned that Linus was not always the brave evangelist who could calmly summon, “Lights, please.” Linus had been forgetful, anxious, and odd. For example, rewind to December 21, 1958.  A running gag especially in December was that Linus had stage fright. Lucy continued to encourage Linus in her persuasive way.  I appreciate Linus' compassion. The other kids relentlessly dismiss and ridicule Charlie Brown. Linus is to Charlie a merciful, supportive, frank, and insightful friend. Linus is unembarrassed about his security blanket. In A Charley Brown Christmas, this versatile blanket serves as tow rope, slingshot, head covering, hiding place, and potentially a sport coat. Concerning Linus' attachment to his blanket, in 2015 Jason Soroski published a profound observation now echoed at over fifty websites:  In that climactic scene when Linus shares what ‘Christmas is all about’, he drops his security blanket, and I am now convinced that this is intentional. Most telling is the specific moment he drops it: when he utters the words, ‘fear not’.  There is a second blanket drop! Linus selflessly gives his prized blanket to restore the little limp Christmas tree. What do you think becomes of the blanket? Walk with me in the starry night with Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and all others who would go. We will purpose our security for kindness. We will trade cold tinsel for warm treasure. Footnote 1: Linus steps up. 1952 ... 1953 ... 1954 ... 1955 ... 1956 ... 1957 ... 1958 ... 1959 ... 1960 ... 1961 ... 1962 ... 1963 ... 1964 ... 1965 ... “Every now and then I say the right thing” Footnote 2: Linus steps back. Other Peanuts characters took much of Linus' role as sage and poet, even slinging a T.S. Eliot reference in one of the following Christmas strips. "Begat" ... "House of Bread" ... "Abiding" ... "Attention" ... "I hate shopping" ... "Warned in a Dream" ... "Calling Bird" ... "Hark, Harold Angel" ... "Hockey Stick!" ... "Joe Handel" ... "Gabriel" ... "Sheep" ... "Moo! Whatever!" Footnote 3: More Peanuts.
Peanuts for Christ ... Peanuts Wiki on A Charlie Brown Christmas ... Charles Schulz' Spiritual Walk |
Our Writers:At The Surge we love doing things together... that includes writing a blog! Here are a few of our main contributing authors: Greg JohnsonJesus++ Anna Mari GreenEnjoys being busy and trying lots of new things. But she loves Jesus, her family, good food, photography, and travel Dwaine DarrahOur fearless leader, and Lead Pastor at The Surge. His experience in counter terrorism with the CIA prepared him for ministry and he likes dogs and babies even more than E does. EE (short for Eric Reiss) is the XO / Wingman at The Surge and likes dogs, music, Mexican food, his wife Karen and his daughter Evangeline... not necessarily in that order. Archives
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