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Author Archives: awtraughber
We Don’t Get to Know Everything
One of the more fun and upbeat tracks of the Avett Brothers’ True Sadness is “Smithsonian.” It feels a little slower in this live performance last year in Nashville, but it still shows energetic artistry that is always good to … Continue reading
Habit, Addiction, and the New Year
The best sermon I heard this year made good use of You Are What You Love, the book by James K. A. Smith about the power of habit in the life of faith. The sermon also made connection to one … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Faith
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Not Perfect Apart from Us
When it’s time to start talking about “life in the fifth act” with my students, I often use Hebrews 11-12 as my starting point (which is why it’s neat that the passage is the New Testament epistle reading for the … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Life in the Fifth Act, Scripture
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Non-Curiosity, the New Standard?
Seth Godin asked a good question today of contemporary culture and our relationship with curiosity: The bestselling novel of 1961 was Allen Drury’s Advise and Consent. Millions of people read this 690-page political novel. In 2016, the big sellers were … Continue reading
Posted in Internet, Teaching
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Strangers and Exiles, Seeking
Today’s daily office reading from Hebrews 11 captures one of my favorite snippets in what is an already-amazing chapter. After talking about Abel and Noah, Abraham and Sarah, the writer digs in for a bit: These all died in faith, … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Life in the Fifth Act, Scripture
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Another Way the Force Wakes Up
Much digital ink has been spilled over the last year writing about the return of the Star Wars franchise to the big screen, for with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and most recently with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. … Continue reading
Assurance, Conviction, Commendation
Today’s epistolary reading from the daily office is the first third of one of my favorite chapters from one of my favorite books: Hebrews 11. The chapter finishes out over the rest of the week. The chapter rings loudly, even … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Life in the Fifth Act, Scripture
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Sherlock and the Posthumous Game (or There’s Something About Mary)
Last night saw the premiere of the fourth (and many assume final) series of Sherlock on Masterpiece Mystery. Perhaps its a repeat of my thoughts on Doctor Who‘s Christmas special, where absence has made the heart grow fonder. I can’t … Continue reading
Checking the Settings
Yesterday Michael Dougherty of The Week tweeted what I am assuming is his version of a “new year’s resolution,” and I like it a lot. Process setting. System setting. Ritual setting. Not goal setting. Don’t get me wrong. I have … Continue reading
Posted in Internet, The Long Story
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Don’t Get Captured
This morning’s routine was thrown out of whack because of the holiday. God bless the good folks at Zippy’s for putting up with people like me early each Sunday. Instead, I had a quick breakfast at Starbucks before heading to … Continue reading
Posted in Faith, Life in the Fifth Act, Scripture
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Space Enough, and Time 