Dalrock once said that this blog is hard to categorize. He’s right. Some people blog on a theme. I don’t. I tend to blog about:

• The lectionary
• Church and Christian life
• Behavioural science, psychology and psychiatry.
• Politics from a conservative & liberterian position
• Local and international news.

The postings are generally what I think is interesting this day. That would be the “brightness” in the title. This contrasts with my fairly pessimistic view of the future from an economic and political point of view. Like many Presbyterians, I do not see human beings as some form of angelic being that is perfectable. I see anything good as coming out of the grace of God. We have a reputation of being dour and bleak for a reason. Hence the word “Dark”.

I generally start with part of the lectionary. This is from today:

1 John 3:11-18

11For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12We must not be like Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. 16We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us — and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

18Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

via Daily Lectionary Readings — Devotions and Readings — Mission and Ministry — GAMC.

In my younger years I studied this — including reading it in Greek. Every time I read this I’m challenged. This piece leaves me dumb: it challenges me on if I am truly caring for those around me practically.

This piece is not about feelings, it is about getting results. But… it damns anyone who does nothing or sits and talks instead of acting. Blogging… a form of talking… can lead to this. The people I respect most are doing and reflecting on what they do: whether it is Alte home schooling challenging kids or Cameron raising money by being pummeled in Charity Boxing matches, or Daegus being a student in the People’s Republic of Toronto — they are acting to make change for the good.

About half the time I post on the lectionary.

The rest… is driven by the news, or what people are writing elsewhere.

This place is eclectic. I can’t see that changing.