Posted in reds, work on March 29, 2008| 3 Comments »
This Monday afternoon, I have a business meeting. There is some very important stuff that needs to be attended to. Just know that, if you try to call me at work on Monday afternoon, I won’t answer my phone. I won’t be in the office. Because I’ll be in a meeting. Somewhere else. Capiche? Capiche.
And on a completely unrelated note, Opening Day is Monday. Ironic, huh? Big Reds fan like me… won’t be able to work on the afternoon of Opening Day. What are the odds. Weird.
Posted in Christianity, the city on March 29, 2008| 2 Comments »
(part 1)
Before I go too far, I think that Jesus was talking about more than just literally feeding the hungry and watering the thirsty and so on. Should we do these things, physically? Yes. But is Jesus also referring to the spiritually hungry and spiritually thirsty? Yeah, I think so. I believe that we shouldn’t just say “ok, you aren’t starving, so my job is done.” Ok? Ok… now back to the literal interpretation…
How do we know how to love people like this? It would be hard to go wrong to do exactly what the words of Christ say to do: feed the hungry, water the thirsty, etc. But, to be honest, I don’t run into too many starving or thirsty people. So, I’ll take it to mean “love your neighbor the best that you can, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box”…
I want to love my neighbors. Not because I want to convert them to my faith, but because my God tells me to love my neighbors. Plain and simple. Will they ever love me back? Doesn’t matter. Will they ever visit my church? Doesn’t matter. Will they take advantage of me? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t love them just the same. God didn’t say “love your neighbor when it’s convenient” or “love your neighbor as long as you don’t get hurt”.
Many of my neighbors don’t speak my language. I took 4 years of Spanish in high school, but, sadly, I’m not sure I know much more than “por que no vamos al central y comprar un taco?” (Roughly translated as “how about we go downtown and purchase a taco?”) So how do I love my Mexican neighbors if I can’t use words? This is a dilemma…
When we got that foot of snow a few weeks ago, I had a great opportunity to love a guy I’d never spoken to before. He lives in an apartment across the street. His car was buried in the snow, and he was trying to get it moving. Folks in apartments don’t have snow shovels. I still haven’t found mine (lost in the move, apparently), but I went next door, borrowed my neighbor’s shovel, and helped uncover a car. Shoveling snow is the same in English as it is in Spanish, you know.
I could tell he was surprised. We worked together for about 15 minutes to dig out his car and clear a parking spot for him on the street. We had language barriers, but I walked away knowing that his name is Oscar, and he lives with his brother and his brother’s wife and their kids. He’s been in Cincinnati for most of 7 years and works hard. We agreed that once the weather breaks, we’re going to bust out the grill and cook some steaks together. Or at least, that’s what I think we decided. I hope he doesn’t think I said something weird…
Do I think, when the Father is dividing the goats from the sheep, he’ll look at me and say “Take your inheritance. For you dug my car out of a snowbank. Whatever you’ve done for the guy in the apartment across the street, you’ve done for me”? No, I’m not counting on it. But it felt like something Jesus would have done.
And now I know Oscar. He came to my front porch later that night. He rang my doorbell, I answered. He shook my hand and said “thank you for shovel”. And I was just trying to love God.
Posted in Christianity, the city on March 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
I don’t Biblethump. I don’t post much Scripture. But this is good, basic, relevant stuff that I need to write down. And I think you’ll benefit from soaking it in…
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
– Mt 22:36-40
You’ve heard that before, right? Here’s another that you probably know…
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance… For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when (did we do these things that you say we’ve done for you)?’
The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”
– Mt 25:34-40
“Love God, love people” is how I’ve heard the mission of Christians summarized. And while certainly not all-encompassing, it’s a good summary of what we are to do. So, by clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and caring for the sick, we are loving the God of the universe. Wow.
So, how should we take this? How should we respond to this? How should we interpret this?
Ummm… how about literally?
How about we put our money where our mouths are. How about we literally feed the hungry. How about we literally provide (clean) water to the thirsty. How about we clothe and house those who need covering. I understand that there are Biblical passages that are more poetic and historical than imperative, but can we agree that God is pleased when we love people in such a tangible way?
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking on these things. I’ve decided that I’m going to try to live with the intention of looking for people to love like this. Not just “well, if I happen to run into a gaunt fellow dying of starvation, maybe I’ll take him a sandwich”, but intentional living to love God by loving others.
I live in a neighborhood where there are plenty of people to serve. All I need to do is open my eyes and be obedient.
It’s amazing how many needy people you see when you open your eyes in search of them.
Posted in marriage, parenthood, toby on March 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Toby used to be a terrible sleeper. I mean terrible. He didn’t sleep through the night at any point during his first year. I don’t remember when it got better, but one night he slept through. And then the next night… it was absolutely glorious. He still has stretches when he wakes up and needs some consoling, but he’s really turned into a pretty decent sleeper.
Recently, he’s been bad again. Waking up multiple times per night, out of control enough that it requires a parental (ok, fine… maternal) visit. Robyn figured out the problem during naptime a few days ago. Here’s a portion of our Google Talk session…
2:26 PM robyn: so, i have a theory….2:27 PM i am thinking that Toby was up all night because Bambi gave him bad dreams. It was very clear that he needed mommy. everytime I tried to leave he freaked2:28 PM and the first thing he said to me this am was “mama, hand” in a little sad voiceme: no more bambirobyn: I was literally in there for 3 hoursme: happy books at night2:30 PM robyn: when i was reading it last night he was definitely upset by “no more mommy deer”2:31 PM me: what a horrible book!2:32 PM robyn: and he is currently chanting “mama, hand”
2:34 PM me: i’m very sad right now2:35 PM robyn: you are sad about bambi?but you eat bambi2:36 PM me: you are so heartless
That’s some funny stuff right there. My son won’t sleep because he read Bambi before bedtime and now fears that he’s going to lose his mommy just like Bambi lost mommy. I’m sad because my son is a little emotional wreck. And my wife doesn’t understand why I’m sad, because I “eat Bambi”. Awesome.
To be fair, I did have some deer jerkey the other day. It was awesome.
Posted in Christianity, friends on March 28, 2008| 2 Comments »
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” I’ve got one thing to say to that:
“Poppycock”.
Children are taught this cliche from a young age. Of course, those who teach said lesson are well-meaning, hoping in a simple way to teach the young that there will be mean people in the world who will delight in hurting their feelings. I get it. There are times that we must simply dismiss the immature words of the immature bullies, knowing that their statements don’t hold water.
The intentions of those who teach the Sticks-n-Stones lesson are probably good, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s such a lie. The truth is, I’d love to hop in Doc’s Delorian, set the timer for 30 seconds before some hurtful things were said to me, and kindly request that the speaker refrain from saying the painful words.
“Ummm, excuse me, sir, I was wondering if, instead of saying what you are about to say, you could just punch me in the face repeatedly until I’m knocked unconscious. Please.”
I know how much words can sting. I’ve been there as both an offender and a victim. I don’t wish that sting on my worst enemies (which must make me a gentler personality than David*, but that’s beside the point altogether).
I say all of this with one main intention- to express that I will never say/write anything to intentionally hurt anyone. Granted, I’m no stranger to controversy. I’m not afraid to stir the pot. But my intention will never be to do harm.
Oh how exhausted am I that feelings are hurt because of something I said on the freaking internet! How tired I am of the drama of the blogosphere. But I know that the sting of hurtful words runs deep and fades slowly, so I’m sensitive to the fact that any of my words have caused pain. In fact, it breaks me to know that I have inflicted pain.
So, still, I continue to wonder whether I should continue this or not. I maintain the right to take it private. I maintain the right to go invite-only. I maintain the right to blow the whole thing up. I maintain the right to shut off comments when I quite honestly don’t want to hear what anyone has to say about something I said. And if I do turn off comments for a thread, you can just email or call. You know how to find me.
I don’t want to hurt people. And at the same time, I want to say “screw it, it’s just the internet…” but the whole Sticks-n-Stones thing keeps me from going there. But I’m sick of the drama. Really. Just tired of it.
*note: The Contemporary English Version of the Bible is always fun. Seriously, pick an interesting passage in the NIV or NASB, then read the CEV. If not enlightening, it’s at least comedic.
Posted in Christianity, news on March 26, 2008| 3 Comments »
My heart goes out to those who fall into the “I guess I just don’t have enough faith” trap. The televangelists love to play that card. They love to tell their listeners that their lives would be better, if not perfect, if they just had more faith.
I was once stuck in that pit of self-destruction. Oh, sweet and merciful savior, if only I had more faith… then I wouldn’t be stuck in this sin… then I wouldn’t be stuck in this cycle… then I…
Well, what if we look at our lives and our circumstances and not simply blame it all on a lack of faith? What if we instead see some truth in the fact that we live in a broken world where sickness happens? What if we stop assuming that everything that happens to us or our families is a direct consequence of something we’ve done?
When I was vomiting in December, was that vomiting a punishment for not having enough faith? No! I was just physically sick. Sure, there would be no sickness if humanity was perfect, but last I checked this was an imperfect world where sickness and pain are a reality.
So what about the family who just lost their daughter because they chose to simply pray for healing instead of taking her to the doctor? What do they think now? Maybe if we had more faith, we would have heard God tell us to take our daughter to the doctor? It’s heartbreaking that people fall for such lies.
Posted in news, politics on March 25, 2008| 1 Comment »
So Eliot Spitzer was perceived to be a morally-upstanding man. He attacked corruption and sought to clean up the world. Beneath the surface, however, his assumed-to-be-clean character was actually a filthy mess that included something in the neighborhood of $80,000 worth of illegal high-priced hookers acquired via illegal methods of payment.
Well, now that we know who he really is, he can’t be governor. Surely the lieutenant governor is more of what a high-profile elected official should be. Let’s get him in office ASAP…
Hello, David Paterson! May you lead the fine Empire State with more integrity than your predecessor! You’ve never made illegal payments for illegal sex with desperate young ladies, have you? No? Great! You’re the new governor!
Hi, everyone, thanks for the kind welcome. Oh, and by the way, just in case you decide to dig into my past… I’ve had multiple long-term affairs, but I never helped any of those women get jobs… no… wait… I may have helped one of my sex buddies get a state job, but that all happened while my wife and I were struggling, so that’s justified. Oh, and it’s possible that I may have kinda-sorta used campaign money to pay for such activity… Oh, yeah, one more thing… I’ve done cocaine… so, since all that’s out in the open, there’s no need for you to dig into my past. I look forward to restoring the integrity of the office…
Hail to the chief. It already sounds like a far cry from what he said when he was sworn in as governor: We must live by the same values we profess. Indeed.
What a broken nation we are.
[Disclaimer] The quotes are paraphrased. These are not actual Paterson quotes. (Although they might as well be.) [/Disclaimer]
Posted in marriage on March 23, 2008| Leave a Comment »
…to my wife. Babe, I want you to join me on here. I want you to write on here every now and then. I’m not asking you to start your own blog, just post here every once in awhile. You know how much I value your thoughts. You know how much I desire your words.
So, if you’re up for it, I’d like you to post about this morning. Post about how messed up everything is. Please. I want to know. Even if it’s hard to find the words.
I love you.
Posted in marriage, parenthood, rehabbing olive, the city, traditions on March 21, 2008| 9 Comments »
So, have I mentioned that the wife and I desire to have traditions?! There’s something about leaving a legacy that is so intriguing…
Robyn has begun working on the 3rd “wall” in our house. First, there was The Bride Wall. Every bride in the family, going back as many generations as possible, has a picture on our dining room wall from her wedding day. The legacy of our family. They are our past. For better or for worse.
There are 5 old old old photographs of our house on the living room staircase wall. I assume they are from the late 19th or early 20th century, as there are no dates on them. The legacy of the structure in which we live. Some of it isn’t the greatest legacy to speak of, but it’s still history. History doesn’t have to be pretty.
And now, Robyn is working on The Price Hill Wall. There shall be a portrait of our family surrounded by images of the places in our community that we think fondly of. One of our family traditions is to hit up St. Lawrence Bakery on Saturday mornings, so a bakery pic will go up. Robyn walks to the post office with Toby, so a post office pic will make the wall. We enjoy walking to the grocery store, so a Kroger pic will be on display. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Of course, the church is gorgeous, and the view of the facade was a contributing factor to us purchasing this house, so a church photo is required as well. One beautiful sunny day last month, Robyn handed me the camera and sent me on a mission. Here are a couple of my favorites, even though I’m pretty clueless with a lens:
I’ll post more pics when the wall is complete.
Posted in Christianity, church, marriage, traditions on March 21, 2008| 2 Comments »
(continued from parts 1 and 2)
Just to clarify, I’m not really Catholic again. You know how churches across America fill up on December 25 and Easter Sunday every year? You’ve heard many of these folks referenced as Christmas and Easter Christians? Well, call me a Good Friday Catholic.
(Disclaimer: Neither I nor my wife took communion. We attempted to abide by the rules. Although, could I partake? I was baptized, had my first communion, and was confirmed into the Catholic church… has my new direction negated that? Not that it matters… just curious…)
I don’t know if other Christian churches do this on Good Friday or not, but the Catholics do an awful lot right on this day. The reading was Isaiah, the prophecy of the Savior. The “re-enactment” of Luke 22 and 23, when the congregation speaks, as one, “You are the Christ” only to later speak, again as one, “Crucify Him!” How freaking true is that?! I tried to hold it together… Thankfully, the wife had a tissue that promptly dried the tears streaming down my face.
The veneration of the cross is tough. “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Savior of the world…” Just wow. And then all come forward to kiss the cross?! I was unable to do so. I bowed before the cross, but felt entirely unworthy to kiss it or even touch it. Maybe God would be glorified if I was able to love the cross enough to kiss it, but the circumstances of it all are just too somber and painful. Maybe I’ll kiss the cross on Easter after the conquering of death. But right now, the King is dead, and I could not bring my lips to touch the means of punishment that I alone deserve.
Just call me a Good Friday Catholic. This might need to become an annual day off for me.
961 Olive 