Down on the bottom button bar of my computer there is a small green x.

It's always before me. And I'm glad of that.

That x reminds me that there are some people I love dearly at this church who will receive a weekly report of any questionable places I visit on the internet.

Any YouTube video that's over-the-top. Or under-the-bottom.

Any discussion board that discusses what ought to be kept quiet.

And of course, any site that's targeted at the way men's sexuality is connected to what they see more than what they feel.

This x program is reciprocal. Not only do the folks I love receive my report, I receive theirs.

So the x doesn't mark the spot. It marks the stop. It ensures that those weekly reports are blessedly, mercifully, empty.

It's a boundary, it's a structure, it's accountability. The kind of accountability that is especially important for growing spirituality.

Especially in the digital age.

What boundaries and accountabilities have you set up in your life? Where's your little green x?

Romans 1:16-17 is a clarion call for New Testament Christians:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

So the Gospel -- the life, death, resurrection, and ultimate return of Jesus -- is in a real sense "the power of God."

It's a phrase I've been hearing in prayer recently: the Gospel has its own power. In other words, there is an irresistible strength to the simple, unadorned proclamation of the Gospel story and Gospel invitation.

It's especially relevant to consider that truth when it comes to worship planning. We wrestle with the how much and the when of creativity. How much art is necessary in worship? When is it important to add a creative element to an otherwise straightforward worship gathering? On what occasions would more creativity actually detract from the simple, urgent power of the Gospel?

We don't have answers to all those questions. Yet as God brings Romans 1:16-17 to our minds, they are the ones we'll keep asking.

Because whatever creativity we bring -- or don't bring -- to a Sunday morning exists to serve the Gospel and not the reverse.

As our church prepares for a desperately sad funeral on Wednesday, I thought I'd offer some different kind of reflections for this "Top Five Tuesday."

What are some things you simply shouldn't say to families or individuals going through grief?

Because the reality is the most people navigating those first shock-filled days after a death won't remember much of what you say to them . . . unless you say something really dumb.

Here's a list of what to avoid:

1. "He's/She's in a better place now." While that may be true, it's not helpful. For those survivors in the middle of intense grief, the "better place" for that spouse, parent, sibling, or child would be right there next to them, still living and breathing.

2. "Be strong." God has given us grief and emotion for a reason: to help us through times of traumatic loss. Moans, tears, and sighs are all part of the process. We usually encourage people to "be strong" so we'll feel more comfortable around them. And here's the real truth: the strongest people are those who are most honest with their sadness.

3. "Just let me know if I can do anything." What you've just done is put the burden back on the person going through grief. They have to let you know how you can help. Instead, just help. Tell the person when you are coming and what you are bringing.

4. "It's all part of God's plan." Again, what may be true is not always what's helpful. In an effort to explain God in the midst of tragedy we sometimes end up blaming God for tragedy.

5. "God needed another angel."

What should you say? How about "I'm sorry"; "I can tell this hurts"; "I love you."

And let Jesus' words from Matthew 5:4 shape whatever you say and however you act: "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted."