I am not here.

Dear friends,

After blogging on a blogger or wordpress hosted site for nine years, I have finally migrated over to my own hosting.

What this will mean?

1. There are certain things that get easier for me, particularly with posting media.
2. The radio show and podcasts will be found there.
3. If you clear out your cache, when you go to RandyBohlender.com, you’ll really be going to RandyBohlender.com.  I’ve been psyching you out this whole time.
4. Your auto-delivery via email will probably not work, I’m trying to sort that out, watch the real RandyBohlender.com for a fix.
5. Each year, on the anniversary of the move, every faithful reader will get a free pony.*

Thanks for making the jump with me -

rb

*still working out the logistics on the pony. please do not hold me to this.

Warning

Doing some major overhaul.  Blog could look funky for a bit. Or not at all.

Getting Stuck With A Gibeonite Wood Cutter

There’s a story in the book of Joshua that’s always struck me as an overlooked warning.  As the Israelites march through the land facing battle after battle, they see a few defeats but many, many victories in places like Jericho and against people like of Ai.

In the midst of of this sword slinging, there’s a short side story that gets lost.

The Wretched Blue Sky

There are certain things that should only stir good memories, and one would expect that a brilliant blue sky would be one of those things.  Except that during this time of year, as summer turns the corner to fall, the sky we enjoyed today reminds me of the tragedy we met a decade gone by.

It’s an unforgettable color.  Friends of mine – residents of Manhattan back in 2001 – call the color ’9/11 Blue.’

Aerotropolis, Schmaerotropolis.

I fully intended on making these thoughts the topic of today’s The Daily Short(s), but try as I might, I couldn’t condense it down to five minutes of auditory clarity. I actually recorded it and hit delete.  Some things are so enraging that they must be filtered through a keyboard for precision.

The Missouri legislature has been called into special session this week.  Special session is exactly what it sounds like – an unscheduled session of the state governing bodies, usually reserved for emergencies like natural disasters, budget crisis’ or the renewed fear that we may be invaded by Arkansas.  Not this time, though.  What brings everyone back to Jefferson City?

A Short Word About the Shorts

Now that I’m thinking a little more intentionally about the show, there are a million random thoughts I have that won’t make it the 30 minute cutoff.  Also, they’re things that might be interesting to blog readers but not the occasional radio listener in DC.

Starting Monday, September 5, I’m going to be scrapping the regular Midweek Blurb in favor of The Daily Short(s).   These will be a daily podcasts in the same RSS feed as the weekend show.  If you’re already subscribed, you’ll get them automatically.  If you’re not subscribed….(sigh)….how can we even be friends?

Here’s what you can expect from The Daily Short(s):

• Brevity  Every morning as I shave my face and head, I listen to the NPR 5am news roundup because it is 4 minutes in length.  I usually finish within seconds of the broadcast finishing.  My thought is, as many of you start to shave your heads, you’ll do something like this with The Daily Short(s).   Of course, because you’re newbies to shaving your head, I have the freedom to go another minute or so, but they will not be long.

• Politics with Humor.  I find the election season incredibly entertaining, which is why I appreciate Mitt Romney, who’s been running for President for 6 years.

• Life with Seven.  The full on radio audience is no place to share family stories, but The Daily Short(s) will be perfect.

• An Occasional Deep Thought.  If you’ve tracked with me for a while you know I drift back and forth between the profound and goofy.   I’d imagine there will be some depth at various points.  It’s hard to dictate but I’ll do my best.

So there you have it.  The Daily Short(s), starting Monday, September 5.  I’ll see you weekday mornings and then on Saturdays we’ll bring in everyone for the full show. Go to HERE to subscribe or find the player OVER HERE.

 

Saturday’s show posted…

Looking for the latest Spirit of Adoption show from 730 WTNT?   Oh. Look no further.  That’s right here.  SpiritofAdoption.net

Join Me Wednesday!

What’s more fun that a good debate?  The running commentary with your friends, of course! The Republican presidential candidates are facing off on Wednesday, September 7th.

I’m inviting you to join me online at 8pm eastern, 7pm central on 9.7.11.

Tune into the debate on your TV, open your laptop and let the party begin…we’ll have realtime reactions to candidates answers, polls, and relevant links on the fly.

Register for a reminder email before the event.

Doing What Matters

Regan - A Zoe Baby

Guy Kawasaki tells start up companies to ‘make meaning’.  Good advice for ministries too.

The photo to the right is the meaning that we’re making.

Little Regan was born August 27th. His brother, Josiah, is a year older.  He was adopted by a family one year ago.  When Regan came along, God placed him in the same family with Josiah.  Rarely do siblings adopted a year apart end up in the same family, but God has a plan…

I can only imagine the destiny on this brotherhood.  God so desired they grow up side by side that He orchestrated events beyond all likelihood to see that they had a mother and a father AND their own brother.  I’m also humbled that the Zoe Foundation had a small part to play in both adoptions.

Stories like Regan and Josiah’s remind me that what we do matters and give me the encouragement to press on.  Thank you to those of you who have contributed to The Zoe Foundation* as well as our personal missions support to see that little ones like this are set in families.

*FYI, we have a few other recent Zoe babies pictured on the front of the Zoe site, along with an auction for a special edition Make the Tracks JHS guitar pedal.  It is quantifiably cooler than a Red Ryder BB gun.

Taking Cues from Closed Doors

Sometimes you hear the voice of God in what you can’t do.

That flies in the face of most of the very good teaching that we’ve heard on hearing God.  Usually, hear the voice of God with opportunity.  We feel directed to do something based on what door opened, who invited us, what new chance we were given…but if we think that’s only the way He speaks, we could be missing it.

Musician Jason Upton‘s recent tweet sent me into hysterics because it accentuates our ‘must do’ mentality.  We live as if to admit defeat is to assume the role of a failure.  

Untrue.  Defeat happens to everyone, but to really be a failure takes a lifetime.

I spend more time in frustration with what I’m not able to do than I do listening to what God might be saying in it.  

I think I need to find that couch.