I spent most of the weekend reading. The golden haired beauty was spending a couple days with her sister and some friends, so I had the place to myself. Hours of uninterrupted solitude to indulge my pleasures of reading, football, and cooking for myself. Pretty boring that.
I read two books and started a third. Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond. Interesting, witty, painful, pompous, and quite brilliantly written. For those not in the know, these three are the presenters (hosts in America) of a BBC television programme called Top Gear. It is the best thing on TV for anyone that enjoys cars and a masculine sense of humor.
Turns out that these three motor heads, whose job is to create havoc and have fun at the expense of Ferrari, Porsche, and Kia, also write regular columns for well known British newspapers and car magazines. Hammond wrote a book about crashing a jet powered dragster at 240 mph, and his subsequent recovery. May wrote about cars he had loved and hated over the years, and why cars matter. Clarkson wrote a book about how much smarter he is than you.
I drove down our own interstate highway last week. And I must admit that there are bad drivers everywhere. And a few good drivers as well. Likewise there are bad and good cars. And there are the multiple configurations of good, bad and average cars and drivers teamed up at random. With my newly found driver's insight from the UK, and the Prius driving 63 in the left lane, and the scalding hot coffee I spilled, it was a miserable trip.
It is a wonder that anyone gets anywhere without a crash.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Books, blogs, and term papers
So it is the beginning of the fall semester. The summer reading list has had a dent made and is put away. I am back to academics. Again. I am going to be up to my neck in essays, book reviews, term papers, creative thoughts, personal introspection, and a whole bunch of other fun things.
I like to learn, study, stretch my mind in new directions. But I must be a glutton for punishment. Because this doctoral work is demanding. At this level there is no room for anything less than excellent. No squeaking by, no half-effort. Its all in or nothing. These professors pass out 25 page assignments like bubble gum.
But that is a good way to go. The all-in attitude is the best because you are not allowed the option of quit, slack off, or procrastinate. Scrape something together at the last minute, cram it in for an exam is not the method. Like Yoda said to Luke Skywalker, "There is no try. There is do or not do."
Its gonna be great. I'll keep you posted.
I like to learn, study, stretch my mind in new directions. But I must be a glutton for punishment. Because this doctoral work is demanding. At this level there is no room for anything less than excellent. No squeaking by, no half-effort. Its all in or nothing. These professors pass out 25 page assignments like bubble gum.
But that is a good way to go. The all-in attitude is the best because you are not allowed the option of quit, slack off, or procrastinate. Scrape something together at the last minute, cram it in for an exam is not the method. Like Yoda said to Luke Skywalker, "There is no try. There is do or not do."
Its gonna be great. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Hey, How could I forget that?
My ancestor was a fellow named Conraad Martense Hooghteeling. He came on a boat from the Netherlands in about 1635. He was (we think) an indentured servant that worked for the land owner Kiliaen Van Rensselaer in the New Netherlands settlements. He married a woman named Maria Hendrikse Marselis and they had eight children, thus starting the Hotaling clan in the New World. He was my ninth great grandfather.
Alex Haley's novel Roots was published in 1976, and the subsequent television mini-series aired a year later to rave reviews. One of the results of Roots was a surge in the interest and research of geneology and ancestry. We discovered culturally that we have a need to know where we came from, who are people were, and by knowing about the lives of our ancestors, we know more about our own lives. Our roots matter.
I had lunch the other day with a friend who has spent most of his life in Ranson and Charles Town. His people have been in Jefferson County for generations. My friend is integrated into his community, and he willingly shares his life with that community. His roots are here. He knows who he is, and he is comfortable with that.
I confess to a small amount of envy to those who are deeply rooted in community, who are content with a sense of place. My life has been more of a tumbleweed existence, a rolling stone. I have enjoyed the adventure of seeing new places and learning new cultures, and I cherish the memories and friends of the many places I have lived. But I cannot say that I am deeply rooted in place.
That is beginning to change. Charles Town is beginning to feel like home, and our community of faith is beginning to feel like family. I feel like my roots are taking hold and growing in, and I believe I will stay a while. My wife and I have finally bought a home in Charles Town, and we are planning to be here for as long as we are able.
Regardless of the depth of our roots in this place, no matter where we or our people came from originally, the word family truly describes the church and community of faith. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and, spiritually speaking, we come from common stock. We are adopted into the family of God, we are given a new place in a new family, and we belong to one another by common faith in an uncommon God. Our heritage comes from a brave and courageous Man who revolutionized the world's understanding of God and His love.
Romans 8:14-17 tells us For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...
We belong to God, and we belong to one another. We have a rich and glorious heritage in this family, and our future is bright. Just as knowing the heritage and ancestry of our people gives us a sense of identity in community, knowing who we belong to as Christians helps us understand who we are in Christ. It grounds our faith and gives us depth as the people of God. As we identify with Christ and His people, our own identities are formed and strengthened.
John writes But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
May you be deeply rooted in Christ. And may you walk boldly as a child of the King.
Alex Haley's novel Roots was published in 1976, and the subsequent television mini-series aired a year later to rave reviews. One of the results of Roots was a surge in the interest and research of geneology and ancestry. We discovered culturally that we have a need to know where we came from, who are people were, and by knowing about the lives of our ancestors, we know more about our own lives. Our roots matter.
I had lunch the other day with a friend who has spent most of his life in Ranson and Charles Town. His people have been in Jefferson County for generations. My friend is integrated into his community, and he willingly shares his life with that community. His roots are here. He knows who he is, and he is comfortable with that.
I confess to a small amount of envy to those who are deeply rooted in community, who are content with a sense of place. My life has been more of a tumbleweed existence, a rolling stone. I have enjoyed the adventure of seeing new places and learning new cultures, and I cherish the memories and friends of the many places I have lived. But I cannot say that I am deeply rooted in place.
That is beginning to change. Charles Town is beginning to feel like home, and our community of faith is beginning to feel like family. I feel like my roots are taking hold and growing in, and I believe I will stay a while. My wife and I have finally bought a home in Charles Town, and we are planning to be here for as long as we are able.
Regardless of the depth of our roots in this place, no matter where we or our people came from originally, the word family truly describes the church and community of faith. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and, spiritually speaking, we come from common stock. We are adopted into the family of God, we are given a new place in a new family, and we belong to one another by common faith in an uncommon God. Our heritage comes from a brave and courageous Man who revolutionized the world's understanding of God and His love.
Romans 8:14-17 tells us For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...
We belong to God, and we belong to one another. We have a rich and glorious heritage in this family, and our future is bright. Just as knowing the heritage and ancestry of our people gives us a sense of identity in community, knowing who we belong to as Christians helps us understand who we are in Christ. It grounds our faith and gives us depth as the people of God. As we identify with Christ and His people, our own identities are formed and strengthened.
John writes But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
May you be deeply rooted in Christ. And may you walk boldly as a child of the King.
Living Within the Limits
For an hour, I have sat at my computer desk and stared at the blank page of Microsoft Windows, pondering what witty and insightful words I might share with you. My secretary Dawn has put me on a deadline. The clock is ticking, and I have not an idea, not a thought in my head.
This forum is one of those areas in which I have pretty free reign. I can write here just about whatever I chose to, nearly any thoughts on just about any topic, and most of you are too polite to disagree or criticize. There is no formula, no handbook of topics, no professor to give me an assignment to fulfill. Beyond common sense and fundamental morality, I have no limits, no rules, and no guidelines. And therein lies the problem.
The millions of topics and ideas that I could broach here, the countless number of combinations of letters, words, sentences and paragraphs, the absolute freedom from any kind of restraint serves as an obstacle, a hindrance of its own kind. All this liberty is too overwhelming, and I just don't always know what to do with it. With an unlimited number of choices, I know not which to choose first. I want to choose them all at the same time. And because the choices often hide their consequences, I hesitate to choose anything, for fear of choosing poorly. (Don't worry, this will make sense soon.) All this ambiguity is too much for me to deal with.
If there were some parameters, if there were someone to look over my shoulder and give me a direction, well, that would be wonderful right about now. If there was a handbook published for pastors that need to write for a monthly newsletter, then I would have no problem. Last week when I was in Atlanta for seminary, I was brilliant. The professor gave us the assignment, I knocked out four pages of sheer awesomeness, and came home happy. There were some parameters, some instruction there. There were limits and direction. Back home on a Tuesday morning with no rules, I feel like a blithering idiot in my absolute freedom.
When I drive up Flowing Springs Road, I always stay in the right hand lane. I always stop at the red light and go when it turns green. I always wear my seat belt and occasionally I abide by the speed limits. These are the simple rules for good driving. We know the rules, and when all the drivers abide by the rules and limits, everybody gets home safely. Sometimes we break the rules and get away with it, sometimes we break the rules and tragedy hits. But we still have some rules and we know what they are. And the traffic laws are necessary for us. If we had no rules, we wreck our cars weekly. And hurt ourselves and one another.
In a world of no rules, no limits, no restraint, we have uncertainty, ambiguity and danger. A large part of the Bible gives us instruction in how to live well, and I am grateful for it. Can you imagine of God never gave us any direction about how to live in light of His love and grace. It would be like in the days of the Judges, when everyone did what was right in his own sight. With some limits and guidelines, we have direction and clarity.
So when Jesus says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself, (paraphrase Mark 12:29, 31) that gives us a simple direction about how to live this Christian life. It is good for us. When Paul says, Put away all your bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, but instead be kind to one another, tenderhearted and forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you, (paraphrase Eph 4:31-32) that is clearly some instruction that limits our behavior and gives us a good direction to move in. A few simple rules, limits, parameters for our behavior and attitudes.
Our faith is clearly much more than a bunch of rules for moral living. But we do have some limits to what behavior is appropriate and acceptable, and what is not good for us. And the limits are good for us, and help us to abide in His love and grace, and to live peaceably with one another.
I heard a story a few years back about a new elementary school that had been built. The playground was bordered on two sides by a busy street, and as the children went out for recess, the traffic would go zipping by. Because the school year began before everything was completed, there was no fence around the playground. The children were uncertain about how close to the road they should be, so they all stayed huddled close to the building. Recess was not much fun.
Within a few weeks, a chain link fence was installed around the schoolyard. The chain link fence made boundaries for the children, limited the distance they could get to the street, and kept strangers off the property. And all the children were able to roam and run and play throughout the playground, safely and within the limits, and have a tremendous fun time at recess.
Blessings to you
This forum is one of those areas in which I have pretty free reign. I can write here just about whatever I chose to, nearly any thoughts on just about any topic, and most of you are too polite to disagree or criticize. There is no formula, no handbook of topics, no professor to give me an assignment to fulfill. Beyond common sense and fundamental morality, I have no limits, no rules, and no guidelines. And therein lies the problem.
The millions of topics and ideas that I could broach here, the countless number of combinations of letters, words, sentences and paragraphs, the absolute freedom from any kind of restraint serves as an obstacle, a hindrance of its own kind. All this liberty is too overwhelming, and I just don't always know what to do with it. With an unlimited number of choices, I know not which to choose first. I want to choose them all at the same time. And because the choices often hide their consequences, I hesitate to choose anything, for fear of choosing poorly. (Don't worry, this will make sense soon.) All this ambiguity is too much for me to deal with.
If there were some parameters, if there were someone to look over my shoulder and give me a direction, well, that would be wonderful right about now. If there was a handbook published for pastors that need to write for a monthly newsletter, then I would have no problem. Last week when I was in Atlanta for seminary, I was brilliant. The professor gave us the assignment, I knocked out four pages of sheer awesomeness, and came home happy. There were some parameters, some instruction there. There were limits and direction. Back home on a Tuesday morning with no rules, I feel like a blithering idiot in my absolute freedom.
When I drive up Flowing Springs Road, I always stay in the right hand lane. I always stop at the red light and go when it turns green. I always wear my seat belt and occasionally I abide by the speed limits. These are the simple rules for good driving. We know the rules, and when all the drivers abide by the rules and limits, everybody gets home safely. Sometimes we break the rules and get away with it, sometimes we break the rules and tragedy hits. But we still have some rules and we know what they are. And the traffic laws are necessary for us. If we had no rules, we wreck our cars weekly. And hurt ourselves and one another.
In a world of no rules, no limits, no restraint, we have uncertainty, ambiguity and danger. A large part of the Bible gives us instruction in how to live well, and I am grateful for it. Can you imagine of God never gave us any direction about how to live in light of His love and grace. It would be like in the days of the Judges, when everyone did what was right in his own sight. With some limits and guidelines, we have direction and clarity.
So when Jesus says, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself, (paraphrase Mark 12:29, 31) that gives us a simple direction about how to live this Christian life. It is good for us. When Paul says, Put away all your bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice, but instead be kind to one another, tenderhearted and forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you, (paraphrase Eph 4:31-32) that is clearly some instruction that limits our behavior and gives us a good direction to move in. A few simple rules, limits, parameters for our behavior and attitudes.
Our faith is clearly much more than a bunch of rules for moral living. But we do have some limits to what behavior is appropriate and acceptable, and what is not good for us. And the limits are good for us, and help us to abide in His love and grace, and to live peaceably with one another.
I heard a story a few years back about a new elementary school that had been built. The playground was bordered on two sides by a busy street, and as the children went out for recess, the traffic would go zipping by. Because the school year began before everything was completed, there was no fence around the playground. The children were uncertain about how close to the road they should be, so they all stayed huddled close to the building. Recess was not much fun.
Within a few weeks, a chain link fence was installed around the schoolyard. The chain link fence made boundaries for the children, limited the distance they could get to the street, and kept strangers off the property. And all the children were able to roam and run and play throughout the playground, safely and within the limits, and have a tremendous fun time at recess.
Blessings to you
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Fun in the Sun
A weekend of rest and recreation. Just what the doctor ordered. Hanging out in the Adirondacks with the family, water sports and good food and a lot of laughs.
The old proverb said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And I find that to be true. It is a good thing to take a break, get some rest and have a little bit of fun. It restores the soul and reminds us that our lives do not consist of our productivity.
Even more important that getting the rest and recreation is having some people on the team to participate. People matter most, and spending time with the important people in your life contributes to the common cause. While solitude is sometimes required and beneficial, a solitary life seems somehow incomplete. We are social creatures, these humans. And we need one another.
And with all the fun and interaction and good things that happen on a weekend away, I have to say it is good to be home, back to the work, back to the growing list of honey-dos, back to the everyday. Because as good as it is to get away, it is better to come back to a life of contentment and peace.
I hope it is that way in your life, too.
The old proverb said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And I find that to be true. It is a good thing to take a break, get some rest and have a little bit of fun. It restores the soul and reminds us that our lives do not consist of our productivity.
Even more important that getting the rest and recreation is having some people on the team to participate. People matter most, and spending time with the important people in your life contributes to the common cause. While solitude is sometimes required and beneficial, a solitary life seems somehow incomplete. We are social creatures, these humans. And we need one another.
And with all the fun and interaction and good things that happen on a weekend away, I have to say it is good to be home, back to the work, back to the growing list of honey-dos, back to the everyday. Because as good as it is to get away, it is better to come back to a life of contentment and peace.
I hope it is that way in your life, too.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Video, sexting, and stupidity
So Congressman Wiener took some pictures of his wiener. And now he is so ashamed and embarrassed. And the latest starlet is mortified that her sex tape was leaked to the Inquirer. And Senator Edwards is under indictment for lying about his extra-marital affair that he had while his wife was dying of cancer.
America, listen to me carefully. Everybody has a video phone in their pocket. Every Body. Whatever it is you are doing, plan for it to be on Facebook and YouTube before the sun goes down. Just Assume that someone is going to see what creepy thing you are up to. You will get a half million hits. You have no secrets, you will be found out, and "I guess I wasn't thinking about the consequences" is no longer an escape clause.
Here is a really radical thought- If you do not want to be considered a creep and a pervert, do not be a creep or a pervert. If you want people to think of you as a good and decent person, well then you kind of have to be a good and decent person.
If the thing that you are thinking about doing would embarrass you in front of the media, or Grandma... If the thing that you are thinking about doing would cause you to have to at least consider resigning from your job... If the think that you are thinking about doing might make the lead story on Entertainment Tonight, a Jay Leno punch line, or be a topic in the blogosphere, then maybe the smart move would be to do something else.
Something smarter.
America, listen to me carefully. Everybody has a video phone in their pocket. Every Body. Whatever it is you are doing, plan for it to be on Facebook and YouTube before the sun goes down. Just Assume that someone is going to see what creepy thing you are up to. You will get a half million hits. You have no secrets, you will be found out, and "I guess I wasn't thinking about the consequences" is no longer an escape clause.
Here is a really radical thought- If you do not want to be considered a creep and a pervert, do not be a creep or a pervert. If you want people to think of you as a good and decent person, well then you kind of have to be a good and decent person.
If the thing that you are thinking about doing would embarrass you in front of the media, or Grandma... If the thing that you are thinking about doing would cause you to have to at least consider resigning from your job... If the think that you are thinking about doing might make the lead story on Entertainment Tonight, a Jay Leno punch line, or be a topic in the blogosphere, then maybe the smart move would be to do something else.
Something smarter.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
It's Holistic
The word "holistic" is becoming more commonly used in our culture today. It describes a physiological theory developed in the 1920's by Dr. J. C. Smuts that the human experience (or any organism) is more than the sum of its parts; that our mind, body, soul, spirit, thoughts, emotions and volition are all interconnected in profound ways, and that each aspect of our condition impacts and affects the other.
For example, traditional medicine diagnoses me with high blood pressure, and prescribes me an appropriate high blood pressure medication. A more holistic approach diagnoses high blood pressure, and makes modifications to diet, exercise, stress management, spiritual well-being, emotional stability and daily choices about life. It examines the root causes of my motivations for unhealthy behavior, and forces me to examine the self and the soul in relation to the current conditions and desired outcomes. And while taking a pill might be simpler and produce faster results, a sound holistic approach is likely to bring a greater condition of overall health in both body and soul. A holistic approach to our personal health has merit and the medical community is beginning to recognize the value of it.
We have all heard the familiar advice these days to eat healthy, get some exercise, and ensure that you are getting enough sleep. These are some of the core components of maintaining our physical health, and if we develop the habit of doing these few simple things, we can generally avoid some much more serious problems.
Likewise, the bible gives us some important habits to develop that continually nurture that health of the spirit and soul. Pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17), love your neighbors as yourself (Mark 12:31), worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), avoid selfishness and embrace generosity (Rom 13:12-14), keep your mind focused on what is good and right and pure (Php 4:8). Just like our physical habits, these spiritual disciplines are given to us to enable us to gain and maintain health and well being.
Churches are more organism than organization. We are composed not of bricks and mortar, traditions and habits, but a collection of people seeking to know and love God and one another. And people are constantly changing. As a church we are (or ought to be) a living, growing entity, continually becoming something new and different, deliberately changing for the better over the course of our life span. And a while we are not perfect or perfected, the church that we are currently a part of is generally in good health.
But, like most of us in terms of our personal health, as a church we have some issues that could be addressed to improve our overall condition. The solitary prescriptions of changing the preacher, the music, the decor, or the cover of the bulletins may have an impact in a small way, but when we take a holistic approach to our condition, we must recognize that one aspect of church affects all the others.
Certainly, the right leaders in the right places make an enormous difference and those key leaders impact and affect the well being of the congregation. Even more significantly, the collective power of our attitudes, and the combined and various condition of our personal spiritual health affect the health of our church. We must be willing to look deep inside ourselves to identify our own motivations, strengths and shortcomings. We must have an awareness of the combined strength of our desire for comfort in relation to our acceptance of challenge and risk. All of these have an impact on the health of the self and on the whole congregation. It is holistic. It is connected and intertwined. We are more than the sum of our parts, and the health of the community of faith is impacted by all of who we are and what we do.
In the same way that band-aids will not cure cancer, a new program or publication will not be the single factor that causes a church to grow and thrive. There is no magic fix or pill. A holistic approach to church recognizes the need for both the individual and collective desire to know God and the power of His abundant life, and the willingness to do whatever is required to experience it in our lives.
For example, traditional medicine diagnoses me with high blood pressure, and prescribes me an appropriate high blood pressure medication. A more holistic approach diagnoses high blood pressure, and makes modifications to diet, exercise, stress management, spiritual well-being, emotional stability and daily choices about life. It examines the root causes of my motivations for unhealthy behavior, and forces me to examine the self and the soul in relation to the current conditions and desired outcomes. And while taking a pill might be simpler and produce faster results, a sound holistic approach is likely to bring a greater condition of overall health in both body and soul. A holistic approach to our personal health has merit and the medical community is beginning to recognize the value of it.
We have all heard the familiar advice these days to eat healthy, get some exercise, and ensure that you are getting enough sleep. These are some of the core components of maintaining our physical health, and if we develop the habit of doing these few simple things, we can generally avoid some much more serious problems.
Likewise, the bible gives us some important habits to develop that continually nurture that health of the spirit and soul. Pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17), love your neighbors as yourself (Mark 12:31), worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), avoid selfishness and embrace generosity (Rom 13:12-14), keep your mind focused on what is good and right and pure (Php 4:8). Just like our physical habits, these spiritual disciplines are given to us to enable us to gain and maintain health and well being.
Churches are more organism than organization. We are composed not of bricks and mortar, traditions and habits, but a collection of people seeking to know and love God and one another. And people are constantly changing. As a church we are (or ought to be) a living, growing entity, continually becoming something new and different, deliberately changing for the better over the course of our life span. And a while we are not perfect or perfected, the church that we are currently a part of is generally in good health.
But, like most of us in terms of our personal health, as a church we have some issues that could be addressed to improve our overall condition. The solitary prescriptions of changing the preacher, the music, the decor, or the cover of the bulletins may have an impact in a small way, but when we take a holistic approach to our condition, we must recognize that one aspect of church affects all the others.
Certainly, the right leaders in the right places make an enormous difference and those key leaders impact and affect the well being of the congregation. Even more significantly, the collective power of our attitudes, and the combined and various condition of our personal spiritual health affect the health of our church. We must be willing to look deep inside ourselves to identify our own motivations, strengths and shortcomings. We must have an awareness of the combined strength of our desire for comfort in relation to our acceptance of challenge and risk. All of these have an impact on the health of the self and on the whole congregation. It is holistic. It is connected and intertwined. We are more than the sum of our parts, and the health of the community of faith is impacted by all of who we are and what we do.
In the same way that band-aids will not cure cancer, a new program or publication will not be the single factor that causes a church to grow and thrive. There is no magic fix or pill. A holistic approach to church recognizes the need for both the individual and collective desire to know God and the power of His abundant life, and the willingness to do whatever is required to experience it in our lives.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Hysterics in History
Having neglected the blogging for a time, then having some thoughts to ponder and discuss recently, then thinking about blogging and writing, I had an realization and inspiration.
I went back through my blog and reviewed some of my own history. Grateful reminders of those days and decision that have brought me to today. And it reminded me that I do in fact have some ability to string letters into words and sentences, and that my paragraphs actually communicate, sometimes clearly.
So historically or hysterically, I am compelled to write and catalog and share what little wisdom or insight I possess. So it is back to blogging, semi-regularly. So all of you who know me and love me, I give you permission to hold me accountable to this.
One post per week is the goal. Try me, test me. See what I am made of. And scold me when I do not live up to my own low expectations. I need your push.
Writing is work. Thinking good thoughts, transforming thoughts into language, communicating language in clear and compelling ways is difficult. But OH, so much fun.
I went back through my blog and reviewed some of my own history. Grateful reminders of those days and decision that have brought me to today. And it reminded me that I do in fact have some ability to string letters into words and sentences, and that my paragraphs actually communicate, sometimes clearly.
So historically or hysterically, I am compelled to write and catalog and share what little wisdom or insight I possess. So it is back to blogging, semi-regularly. So all of you who know me and love me, I give you permission to hold me accountable to this.
One post per week is the goal. Try me, test me. See what I am made of. And scold me when I do not live up to my own low expectations. I need your push.
Writing is work. Thinking good thoughts, transforming thoughts into language, communicating language in clear and compelling ways is difficult. But OH, so much fun.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Dancing in the streets?
America's enemy number one is a corpse, and the flash mob is parading up and down Pennsylvania Avenue, waving flags and chanting U-S-A. College students, many of whom cannot spell bin Laden, are suddenly so proud to be Americans. The news media continues to use the first person plural "We" when describing the military operation, as if Christine Anampour was pulling right flank security in the deal.
This thing bothers me at so many levels.
Are we safer and better off now that the world's leading terrorist is defeated? Perhaps. And for a little bit. But surely as the sun will come up tomorrow, someone will take his place and continue to steal, kill and destroy life, truth and beauty. Like the Hydra, cut off the head and three more grow back.
Is justice served? Probably. Obviously, the guy was not interested in going to trial, but we are all pretty well convinced that he was a mass murderer, an evil genius, a hater of the things that we believe in. So, I guess he got what was coming to him.
I think what bothers me is this. This guy was a terrorist, and we responded with more terror. He was a violent and hateful man, and we who call ourselves a peace loving nation, responded with violence and hatred. We try to paint ourselves as the good guys, God Bless America, we point to ourselves as the keepers of peace and democracy and diplomatic solutions to difficult problems, but we dance in the streets because some brave men shot the guy in the head. Paradox?
Maybe it has to be this way. I guess some folks never learn and maybe a fight is the only solution sometimes. But that does not mean we should gloat, and wave the flag, and pretend that we are innocent and right while the rest are guilty and wrong.
This thing bothers me at so many levels.
Are we safer and better off now that the world's leading terrorist is defeated? Perhaps. And for a little bit. But surely as the sun will come up tomorrow, someone will take his place and continue to steal, kill and destroy life, truth and beauty. Like the Hydra, cut off the head and three more grow back.
Is justice served? Probably. Obviously, the guy was not interested in going to trial, but we are all pretty well convinced that he was a mass murderer, an evil genius, a hater of the things that we believe in. So, I guess he got what was coming to him.
I think what bothers me is this. This guy was a terrorist, and we responded with more terror. He was a violent and hateful man, and we who call ourselves a peace loving nation, responded with violence and hatred. We try to paint ourselves as the good guys, God Bless America, we point to ourselves as the keepers of peace and democracy and diplomatic solutions to difficult problems, but we dance in the streets because some brave men shot the guy in the head. Paradox?
Maybe it has to be this way. I guess some folks never learn and maybe a fight is the only solution sometimes. But that does not mean we should gloat, and wave the flag, and pretend that we are innocent and right while the rest are guilty and wrong.
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