Ok - by definition, Halloween is the 'eve' for All Saints Day, which makes it a bit odd to have a Halloween Eve, but we did. The Westminster Children's Center celebrated its 20th anniversary operating a quality day care center in downtown Beaumont. We had a fall festival this evening, inviting current and past families and staff to come out for fun and games and hotdogs, chips, and drinks.
Children in non-scary costumes wandered through the building, getting their faces painted, "fishing" for candy and what turned out to be real fish, bowling for toys, making brightly colored masks, walking in circles for cakes and cookies, popping ballons by sitting on them, and other games.
The biggest draw was the hayride. Putt-putting along behind a four-wheeler, the kids and their parents went on a ride in the parking lots around the church. But it's not a real Halloween hayride if you don't have at least one scary moment, right? So a couple of the adults took turns stepping out from behind the trees and saying "Boo!" *smile* The requisite screeches were a hoot!
I remember my first haunted house was in the basement of the manse next to the church we belonged to in Ft. Worth. The members prepared a mildly scary spook house with all the traditional elements - "eyeballs" and "brains" and some guy who came up out of a coffin loaned by a local funeral home. You entered the basement through a window and came screeching out the door at the other side. Afterward was a feast of hotdogs and marshmallows roasted on an open fire. (ummmmmmmm.....no, I didn't put the marshmallows ON the hotdog. *chuckle*) The temperature was a bit cooler than it is here in Beaumont right now, so that fire was a real blessing!
I have never truly understood those who have a problem with Halloween. I have a much more difficult time with churches setting up "Hell Houses" to "scare the Hell out of" those who come through. There's not only sloppy theology involved, but the premise strikes me as being emotionally violent. Halloween and it's generally tame visiting of homes and stores to shout "Trick or Treat" and say "thank you" when receiving candy from those places is a much more benign event. I'll admit it's changed mightily since I was a child, but you'll have a hard time convincing me that dressing up in a costume (even if it does wander over into witches and ghouls) for one day out of the year will imperil one's soul. God's much bigger than that, and certainly filled with a grace and love which transcends our annual attack of silliness and camoflauge.
Trick or Treat!
Monday, October 30, 2006
Ready for Syndication
Well, not really. I just happened to notice that this is my 100th post. WOOHOO!!
TV shows celebrate their 100th episode because it makes the possibility of a syndication run more lucrative. I thought I celebrate my 100th post simply because I managed to make it this far!
This is actually quite an accomplishment for me. The whole blog thing was an experiment, one which I didn't expect to last more than a month or two at the most. In some respects, this is like journaling, and most of my journaling experiences tend to last a week, maybe two, before wandering off into oblivion. Of course, most of my journaling has been totally for private consumption. Since I already know what I wrote, why go back and look at it again? *shrug* BO-RING!
Blogging has a different flavor. True, it's still mostly for my own benefit. Putting things down "in print" has a discipline to it which journaling doesn't. If the potential exists for someone else to read this, then I should strive for some sort of coherence and logic. I'm not always successful. I'm notorious for skipping over the one bit of information which makes the significance of a bit of rambling make sense.
All in all, though, I've had fun. Hope you've had fun, too, or gleaned a tidbit of information here and there. So.......... celebrate .... celebrate .... dance to the music!
TV shows celebrate their 100th episode because it makes the possibility of a syndication run more lucrative. I thought I celebrate my 100th post simply because I managed to make it this far!
This is actually quite an accomplishment for me. The whole blog thing was an experiment, one which I didn't expect to last more than a month or two at the most. In some respects, this is like journaling, and most of my journaling experiences tend to last a week, maybe two, before wandering off into oblivion. Of course, most of my journaling has been totally for private consumption. Since I already know what I wrote, why go back and look at it again? *shrug* BO-RING!
Blogging has a different flavor. True, it's still mostly for my own benefit. Putting things down "in print" has a discipline to it which journaling doesn't. If the potential exists for someone else to read this, then I should strive for some sort of coherence and logic. I'm not always successful. I'm notorious for skipping over the one bit of information which makes the significance of a bit of rambling make sense.
All in all, though, I've had fun. Hope you've had fun, too, or gleaned a tidbit of information here and there. So.......... celebrate .... celebrate .... dance to the music!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Absurdity and Politics
Gotcha! Bet you thought I was going to point out some of the absurdities that exist in politics. Instead, just a couple of thoughts to share today, not really related, as one might think from the title.
1. Absurdity - I was driving along Dowlen Rd yesterday when I saw a "For Sale By Owner" sign. Now there's nothing unusual about that. I've seen those signs in front of houses, on cars and boats, by rather large things for sale for years. Yesterday I began to wonder, do you really think a thief would post a sign saying "For Sale By Thief" or "For Sale By Scam Artist"? Aren't you actually supposed to own the item before you can sell it? By definition, isn't any sale which occurs, whether using an agent or doing it yourself, "by owner"? Aren't those signs just plain absurd, then?
2. Politics - Last night I watched 90% of the county judge debate between Ron Walker and Billy Job (my stupid internet connection slipped into oblivion for about 10% of the debate). While watching the debate online, you could also make/read live comments from others watching the debate. The two juxtaposed gave the experience a twist. There was one person online who is an adamant Walker supporter. She kept "score" throughout the debate and continually noted how "Walker won that one" or commented on how he was really winning the debate and, in my mind, seemed to be at odds with what I was witnessing on the screen.
The Enterprise online poll/commentary about the debate comes in at a draw: 5 in favor of Walker, 5 in favor of Job. For those who commented on Walker's behalf, many (but not all) knew at least something about him and were supporting him more on the basis of that information (things like "isn't a puppet" and "has experience"), which wasn't evident from the actual interaction of the debate. For those who commented on Job's behalf, the choice was based on what was actually said during the debate.
I know neither of these men, nor did I have any opinion prior to the debate. Walker blew it completely for me when, instead of asking Job a hard-ball question about positions or governing during his opportunity to ask any question of his opponent, he asked how Job's family was doing. Not a bad question to ask; however, it's timing was waaaaaaaaay off. More appropriate for after the debate. Job's answers to questions had a fairly good grasp of what would be expected of the position and that he'd thought through some of the potential difficulties.
When watching a debate, appearances do have an affect on how one interprets and rates responses. Walker appeared exhausted and, to me, had difficulty putting his thoughts in order. I have to admit, not everyone does well in such a public forum, but that's what we're asking county judges to do: be part of a public forum on a daily basis. His demeanor appeared to express a sense of uncertainty and a part of me thought he was actually hoping to lose. Not a good impression for a candidate who wants to win. Perhaps that's one of the hazards of a long campaign, since Walker noted more than once that the past 22 months had been difficult. He had a primary election as well as the general election to work through, while Job ran unopposed in the primary.
In the interest of fairness, I'm not going to base my vote entirely on last night's debate. However, if the candidates appear to be almost equal in abilities and commitment to the position, Mr. Job has my vote.
1. Absurdity - I was driving along Dowlen Rd yesterday when I saw a "For Sale By Owner" sign. Now there's nothing unusual about that. I've seen those signs in front of houses, on cars and boats, by rather large things for sale for years. Yesterday I began to wonder, do you really think a thief would post a sign saying "For Sale By Thief" or "For Sale By Scam Artist"? Aren't you actually supposed to own the item before you can sell it? By definition, isn't any sale which occurs, whether using an agent or doing it yourself, "by owner"? Aren't those signs just plain absurd, then?
2. Politics - Last night I watched 90% of the county judge debate between Ron Walker and Billy Job (my stupid internet connection slipped into oblivion for about 10% of the debate). While watching the debate online, you could also make/read live comments from others watching the debate. The two juxtaposed gave the experience a twist. There was one person online who is an adamant Walker supporter. She kept "score" throughout the debate and continually noted how "Walker won that one" or commented on how he was really winning the debate and, in my mind, seemed to be at odds with what I was witnessing on the screen.
The Enterprise online poll/commentary about the debate comes in at a draw: 5 in favor of Walker, 5 in favor of Job. For those who commented on Walker's behalf, many (but not all) knew at least something about him and were supporting him more on the basis of that information (things like "isn't a puppet" and "has experience"), which wasn't evident from the actual interaction of the debate. For those who commented on Job's behalf, the choice was based on what was actually said during the debate.
I know neither of these men, nor did I have any opinion prior to the debate. Walker blew it completely for me when, instead of asking Job a hard-ball question about positions or governing during his opportunity to ask any question of his opponent, he asked how Job's family was doing. Not a bad question to ask; however, it's timing was waaaaaaaaay off. More appropriate for after the debate. Job's answers to questions had a fairly good grasp of what would be expected of the position and that he'd thought through some of the potential difficulties.
When watching a debate, appearances do have an affect on how one interprets and rates responses. Walker appeared exhausted and, to me, had difficulty putting his thoughts in order. I have to admit, not everyone does well in such a public forum, but that's what we're asking county judges to do: be part of a public forum on a daily basis. His demeanor appeared to express a sense of uncertainty and a part of me thought he was actually hoping to lose. Not a good impression for a candidate who wants to win. Perhaps that's one of the hazards of a long campaign, since Walker noted more than once that the past 22 months had been difficult. He had a primary election as well as the general election to work through, while Job ran unopposed in the primary.
In the interest of fairness, I'm not going to base my vote entirely on last night's debate. However, if the candidates appear to be almost equal in abilities and commitment to the position, Mr. Job has my vote.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Progress
I can't believe it! There's drywall sitting on the floor in my house waiting to be installed. WOOHOO!! I'm not precisely sure when the crew is planning to do the actual installation. Assuming the weather holds, it'll be sometime this week.
I do have one part that's going to have to have some more research done before this is all finished. The huge crack in the storage room isn't the result of a problem with the foundation. (whew!!) The question now is, "OK, what caused it?" Someone suggested the framing might be cracked/crushed nearby. It's at the far end of the house from where the tree came in, so I don't understand how that could have happened ... unless when the limbs that came down from my other tree and blocked the gate area, it caused some internal damage. Hmmmmm.... sounds like a case for ER!
Just the vision of covered walls and hidden rafters was enough to inspire me to do some shopping for the furniture I need to replace. Fortunately, I only have two pieces to replace, but the color scheme on the sofa/love seat were essential to have in place before I select the paint and carpet. One interesting criterion: dark enough so the dog/cat hair won't be too obvious! *chuckle* Do you know how hard that was? Especially since I'm also not particularly fond of leather furniture. Another factor is that I'm replacing a sofabed. They don't make un-ugly sofabeds anymore, at least, not un-ugly by my definition. (If you've bought a sofabed recently, I'm quite sure it's absolutely beautiful!)
I've yet to figure it out. When I need to make a significant purchase, like a car or furniture, I'll start the process of shopping (research, warranties, materials, preliminary scan of potential candidates, "test driving") only semi-focused on what I'm looking for, just general broad-brush ideas for what it'll be like. Next I see a style or color that seems to fit that nebulous image, but it may not be on the showroom floor. Then, out of the blue, there it will be - generally a model or color that's just been discontinued, or the last one available at the store, and I'll find it at a hugely discounted price.
It happened today! Found the perfect sofa/love seat ... the sofa was the last one in the store and the love seat wasn't even listed on the store's computers, but there they were! Plain as day on the showroom floor, and not sold or promised to anyone!! So, now I have furniture for my den. WOOHOO!!
All in all, it's been a good day. Now, let's see ... guess I'd better go haunt the paint chip aisles! Later!
I do have one part that's going to have to have some more research done before this is all finished. The huge crack in the storage room isn't the result of a problem with the foundation. (whew!!) The question now is, "OK, what caused it?" Someone suggested the framing might be cracked/crushed nearby. It's at the far end of the house from where the tree came in, so I don't understand how that could have happened ... unless when the limbs that came down from my other tree and blocked the gate area, it caused some internal damage. Hmmmmm.... sounds like a case for ER!
Just the vision of covered walls and hidden rafters was enough to inspire me to do some shopping for the furniture I need to replace. Fortunately, I only have two pieces to replace, but the color scheme on the sofa/love seat were essential to have in place before I select the paint and carpet. One interesting criterion: dark enough so the dog/cat hair won't be too obvious! *chuckle* Do you know how hard that was? Especially since I'm also not particularly fond of leather furniture. Another factor is that I'm replacing a sofabed. They don't make un-ugly sofabeds anymore, at least, not un-ugly by my definition. (If you've bought a sofabed recently, I'm quite sure it's absolutely beautiful!)
I've yet to figure it out. When I need to make a significant purchase, like a car or furniture, I'll start the process of shopping (research, warranties, materials, preliminary scan of potential candidates, "test driving") only semi-focused on what I'm looking for, just general broad-brush ideas for what it'll be like. Next I see a style or color that seems to fit that nebulous image, but it may not be on the showroom floor. Then, out of the blue, there it will be - generally a model or color that's just been discontinued, or the last one available at the store, and I'll find it at a hugely discounted price.
It happened today! Found the perfect sofa/love seat ... the sofa was the last one in the store and the love seat wasn't even listed on the store's computers, but there they were! Plain as day on the showroom floor, and not sold or promised to anyone!! So, now I have furniture for my den. WOOHOO!!
All in all, it's been a good day. Now, let's see ... guess I'd better go haunt the paint chip aisles! Later!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Slip-Sliding Away
Just realized I haven't posted in a week! Not that I have anything of significance to write about. Traveling to meetings in Louisville kind of knocks the usual ebb and flow of things awry. Not a bad meeting Not a spectacular one either. We did have a dinner cruise on the Ohio River which was nice. A couple of nice conversations, and an evening spent in the hotel's spa wasn't bad either. The only major negative was that it got down to about freezing. Had to take my long johns! *chuckle* I wasn't quite ready for that yet.
Looks like I've got some more nastiness at my home to be repaired. The storage room that's part of the garage seems to be slip-sliding away from the rest of the house. I've got a huge-mongous crack growing in the drywall there. *sigh* I don't know that I'm ever going to get back on my house. Quite frustrating. And the insurance company is so helpful - "find out what the problem is, get an expert to look at it, and then we'll send out an adjuster". I don't know what the problem is, and haven't the foggiest of what expert to get to come and look at it. I suspect it may be foundational, but the house was leveled before I bought it 3 years ago and all the cosmetic stuff was fixed then. So it's probably related to Her Horribleness. BLECH!!
Maybe it'll all just float away and I can start all over again. (Nah - don't want that to happen. Just feeling a bit gloomy at the moment. Maybe a good night's sleep is in order.) Ah, well! I'm calling it quits for the night, and maybe something truly intriguing will catch my eye later this week.
Looks like I've got some more nastiness at my home to be repaired. The storage room that's part of the garage seems to be slip-sliding away from the rest of the house. I've got a huge-mongous crack growing in the drywall there. *sigh* I don't know that I'm ever going to get back on my house. Quite frustrating. And the insurance company is so helpful - "find out what the problem is, get an expert to look at it, and then we'll send out an adjuster". I don't know what the problem is, and haven't the foggiest of what expert to get to come and look at it. I suspect it may be foundational, but the house was leveled before I bought it 3 years ago and all the cosmetic stuff was fixed then. So it's probably related to Her Horribleness. BLECH!!
Maybe it'll all just float away and I can start all over again. (Nah - don't want that to happen. Just feeling a bit gloomy at the moment. Maybe a good night's sleep is in order.) Ah, well! I'm calling it quits for the night, and maybe something truly intriguing will catch my eye later this week.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Ok, Unions!
Let me state up front that I have a fairly strong anti-union bias. It was bred through years of watching unions go on strike for what seemed to be trivial amounts, reports of corruption and crime in union leadership, and other seeming misuse of the collective bargaining power that could be wielded.
It was etched pretty solidly in stone after a local refinery strike. It was a long and bitter strike over issues that I don't remember. What I do remember was that one worker became desperate to keep food on his family's table and a roof over their heads, so he crossed the picket line. One of the picketers shot (with a slingshot, I think) and seriously injured the man. The whole incident was caught on the company's security tapes. The company fired the picketer. The union remained on strike until the picketer was rehired without loss of seniority. OUTRAGE!
Let me also state that I believe unions, when used according to their original purpose, can be a powerful force for good. As I recall, the original goal of unions was to provide safe work environments for employees while ensuring that they were paid a fair wage for the work provided. I do believe it was a time of excesses where employers were reaping huge and lavish benefits while employees subsisted in poverty or almost poverty - with little to look forward to in hopes of relief. Does any of that look even remotely familiar?
Paul Krugman's editorial in yesterday's Enterprise, "War against wages is successfully being waged", outlines what Wal-Mart is doing internally to keep employees from advancing financially if they remain loyal to the company. Over and over you see in the news where a company is approaching bankruptcy. Employees are forced to take huge cuts in pay/benefits or a combination, simply to keep from losing their jobs completely if the company folds. Yet, even on a sinking ship, executives reap millions in salary, benefits and perks, totalling several hundred times what the average employee makes. Health care and promised retirement benefits are being summarily and deeply slashed. (Ok - I'll admit the healthcare system is broken in a variety of ways, and as long as it's tied to employment, it will remain broken. But that's another rant altogether.) When things begin to look rough at a company, reductions-in-force slash through the ranks while expecting the same or a higher level of total production from those left, generally without a corresponding deep cut at the upper management levels. It's unconscionable!
My suspicion is that what is happening is part of a perpetually moving societal pendulum. We are heading out to the far end of the "pro-employer" limits of the pendulum and it's time for the "pro-employee" limit of the swing to shift the momentum in the other direction. The rope of the pendulum is only so long and our society as a whole will crumble if the rope breaks while at either end. I don't see that happening soon, though.
However, I do believe it is now time for the unions to find ways to influence the shift in momentum in the opposite direction. Perhaps it isn't simply a union task to accomplish, but it does seem that they should have a major role if they hope to maintain any relevance in the workforce. I certainly think it's an appropriate time for them to reclaim the noble purpose for which they were founded. Ok, unions! What's next?
It was etched pretty solidly in stone after a local refinery strike. It was a long and bitter strike over issues that I don't remember. What I do remember was that one worker became desperate to keep food on his family's table and a roof over their heads, so he crossed the picket line. One of the picketers shot (with a slingshot, I think) and seriously injured the man. The whole incident was caught on the company's security tapes. The company fired the picketer. The union remained on strike until the picketer was rehired without loss of seniority. OUTRAGE!
Let me also state that I believe unions, when used according to their original purpose, can be a powerful force for good. As I recall, the original goal of unions was to provide safe work environments for employees while ensuring that they were paid a fair wage for the work provided. I do believe it was a time of excesses where employers were reaping huge and lavish benefits while employees subsisted in poverty or almost poverty - with little to look forward to in hopes of relief. Does any of that look even remotely familiar?
Paul Krugman's editorial in yesterday's Enterprise, "War against wages is successfully being waged", outlines what Wal-Mart is doing internally to keep employees from advancing financially if they remain loyal to the company. Over and over you see in the news where a company is approaching bankruptcy. Employees are forced to take huge cuts in pay/benefits or a combination, simply to keep from losing their jobs completely if the company folds. Yet, even on a sinking ship, executives reap millions in salary, benefits and perks, totalling several hundred times what the average employee makes. Health care and promised retirement benefits are being summarily and deeply slashed. (Ok - I'll admit the healthcare system is broken in a variety of ways, and as long as it's tied to employment, it will remain broken. But that's another rant altogether.) When things begin to look rough at a company, reductions-in-force slash through the ranks while expecting the same or a higher level of total production from those left, generally without a corresponding deep cut at the upper management levels. It's unconscionable!
My suspicion is that what is happening is part of a perpetually moving societal pendulum. We are heading out to the far end of the "pro-employer" limits of the pendulum and it's time for the "pro-employee" limit of the swing to shift the momentum in the other direction. The rope of the pendulum is only so long and our society as a whole will crumble if the rope breaks while at either end. I don't see that happening soon, though.
However, I do believe it is now time for the unions to find ways to influence the shift in momentum in the opposite direction. Perhaps it isn't simply a union task to accomplish, but it does seem that they should have a major role if they hope to maintain any relevance in the workforce. I certainly think it's an appropriate time for them to reclaim the noble purpose for which they were founded. Ok, unions! What's next?
Monday, October 09, 2006
Winds of Change
It's too soon!! I'm not ready to drag out my winter clothes yet! NOOOOOOOOO!
Why the wailing and gnashing of teeth, you might ask? Certainly things haven't gotten cold enough for winter clothes here in good ol' Beaumont, and the weathermeister on tv alluded to it being cooler, but nowhere near the freezing point over the next several days.
But alas! I'm traveling this week, so, of course, I'm headed to a place where temperatures will be a bit brisker than I like. What's making me moan and groan even more is that this particular trip at this particular time of year is usually made to Daytona Beach, Florida. Three days in a wonderful resort hotel right on the beach. *sigh* And I had to miss last year's meeting because of ..... well, you probably guessed it ... Her Horribleness!
Now instead of warm temperatures and time during the day for barefoot strolls along the beach, and watching the pelicans soar along the coast, one direction in the morning, another in the evening, we'll be meeting where the highs will be around 50 and the lows near 35.
Don't get me wrong. I like Louisville, KY, even have a souvenier bat from the Louisville Slugger museum. (*scratches head* well, I did, but at the moment am not completely sure where it is in my disheveled house.) They've got a really cool theater for the performing arts and I really enjoy wandering along the river (when it isn't near freezing, that is).
Under normal circumstances, I'm not sure I'd even be upset by the cooler temperatures in Louisville. I just realized today, however, that I'm not ready for winter clothes. It's not time for it to be cool enough ANYWHERE for me to drag out the sweaters and long-sleeved shirts. OK - the calendar says October, and it's not outrageous for it to be cooler. The intellect recognizes that.
There's something about the time-sense of my soul that is rebelling loudly against wearing a jacket. Somehow I'm still in a time-warp where it's still ... hmmmmmm end of July? first of August? ... not anywhere near October. I desperately miss my barefoot walks in that awesome soft sand of Daytona Beach. I miss the special sunrises that come up out of the ocean. The rhythm of this past year (and a bit more) has simply not fallen back into its usual pattern, and my heart's not happy about it.
*sigh* The winds of change. I really could have done without that stupid hurricane last year! (I know - we all feel the same way about that one.) I just for this moment wish the winds would blow back the opposite direction and send us down to a warmer clime.
Ah, well! Next year is definitely a Daytona Beach year! I'm so looking forward to it. *wanders off, shaking head and looking for where I put that sack with my sweaters in it*
Why the wailing and gnashing of teeth, you might ask? Certainly things haven't gotten cold enough for winter clothes here in good ol' Beaumont, and the weathermeister on tv alluded to it being cooler, but nowhere near the freezing point over the next several days.
But alas! I'm traveling this week, so, of course, I'm headed to a place where temperatures will be a bit brisker than I like. What's making me moan and groan even more is that this particular trip at this particular time of year is usually made to Daytona Beach, Florida. Three days in a wonderful resort hotel right on the beach. *sigh* And I had to miss last year's meeting because of ..... well, you probably guessed it ... Her Horribleness!
Now instead of warm temperatures and time during the day for barefoot strolls along the beach, and watching the pelicans soar along the coast, one direction in the morning, another in the evening, we'll be meeting where the highs will be around 50 and the lows near 35.
Don't get me wrong. I like Louisville, KY, even have a souvenier bat from the Louisville Slugger museum. (*scratches head* well, I did, but at the moment am not completely sure where it is in my disheveled house.) They've got a really cool theater for the performing arts and I really enjoy wandering along the river (when it isn't near freezing, that is).
Under normal circumstances, I'm not sure I'd even be upset by the cooler temperatures in Louisville. I just realized today, however, that I'm not ready for winter clothes. It's not time for it to be cool enough ANYWHERE for me to drag out the sweaters and long-sleeved shirts. OK - the calendar says October, and it's not outrageous for it to be cooler. The intellect recognizes that.
There's something about the time-sense of my soul that is rebelling loudly against wearing a jacket. Somehow I'm still in a time-warp where it's still ... hmmmmmm end of July? first of August? ... not anywhere near October. I desperately miss my barefoot walks in that awesome soft sand of Daytona Beach. I miss the special sunrises that come up out of the ocean. The rhythm of this past year (and a bit more) has simply not fallen back into its usual pattern, and my heart's not happy about it.
*sigh* The winds of change. I really could have done without that stupid hurricane last year! (I know - we all feel the same way about that one.) I just for this moment wish the winds would blow back the opposite direction and send us down to a warmer clime.
Ah, well! Next year is definitely a Daytona Beach year! I'm so looking forward to it. *wanders off, shaking head and looking for where I put that sack with my sweaters in it*
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Ambivalence
As I write this morning, I'm wrestling with how I feel about the media coverage of a faux-Christian hate group which is coming to Beaumont to protest at the funeral of a fallen soldier. This young man whose life was taken so early, whose family is already hurting so deeply, was not gay. (Not that what this snake-in-the-grass group plans to do would be appropriate if he were.) Staff Sgt. Edward Reynolds was simply a soldier fulfilling his duty when his life was cut tragically short.
Now his funeral has become a platform for a group who has the skewed belief that God has chosen this young man, and other men and women like him, to punish for our country's democratic inclusiveness. GACK! PTOOEY! BLEAH! BLEAH! Even writing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Phelps and those like him have wandered to the dark side. Here's where my ambivalence creeps in. What is the best way to neutralize such sliminess?
There is a part of me which advocates ignoring them as the gnats they are and keeping them from having the platform to reach others like them. This part of the state, unfortunately, has many generations of KKK-minded individuals living here. Vidor being a most notorious location at one point. I believe this area has come a very long way from where it was when I lived here in the 70's-80's. While prejudice still exists, it is not as rampant, nor virulent as it was back then. Good grief! We even managed to hold an interfaith worship service with Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist leaders without anyone taking a potshot at us!
Could it be that Phelps and his brood of vipers have chosen Beaumont as a recruitment place, where they might find like-minded individuals lurking in the shadows? If so, then by airing their intent to be present and protest, are we not aiding their cause? Would not ignoring them take the steam out what seems to me to be a publicity stunt? Of course, they would still do it most likely.
At the same time, visibility to the community at large has two advantages: (1) the hurt being inflicted on the family is being answered by an outpouring of love and concern by the community at large, and (2) it gives the opportunity for those who believe differently to live out their faith and counteract the false message that God hates.
Amazing to me that anyone who professes to be a Christian could even begin to embrace the idea that God hates .... anyone! "God so loved the world ..." The world! Not just this person, and that person, and the one over there. Not just Christians .... there weren't Christians when God through Jesus performed his act of restoration. God is not a god of exclusion!
So visibility gives us the opportunity to be inclusive. (Some part of me can't believe I'm saying this.) Even inclusive of such hateful people. God IS Love! What I pray is that my heart may be opened to be loving to mine enemies that their hearts may be opened to God's true love. Not quite sure how to do it, nor to be it. Not quite sure how to even express such a message to people who seem to be closed off in so many ways.
I guess I'm just going to have to live in ambivalence.
Now his funeral has become a platform for a group who has the skewed belief that God has chosen this young man, and other men and women like him, to punish for our country's democratic inclusiveness. GACK! PTOOEY! BLEAH! BLEAH! Even writing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Phelps and those like him have wandered to the dark side. Here's where my ambivalence creeps in. What is the best way to neutralize such sliminess?
There is a part of me which advocates ignoring them as the gnats they are and keeping them from having the platform to reach others like them. This part of the state, unfortunately, has many generations of KKK-minded individuals living here. Vidor being a most notorious location at one point. I believe this area has come a very long way from where it was when I lived here in the 70's-80's. While prejudice still exists, it is not as rampant, nor virulent as it was back then. Good grief! We even managed to hold an interfaith worship service with Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist leaders without anyone taking a potshot at us!
Could it be that Phelps and his brood of vipers have chosen Beaumont as a recruitment place, where they might find like-minded individuals lurking in the shadows? If so, then by airing their intent to be present and protest, are we not aiding their cause? Would not ignoring them take the steam out what seems to me to be a publicity stunt? Of course, they would still do it most likely.
At the same time, visibility to the community at large has two advantages: (1) the hurt being inflicted on the family is being answered by an outpouring of love and concern by the community at large, and (2) it gives the opportunity for those who believe differently to live out their faith and counteract the false message that God hates.
Amazing to me that anyone who professes to be a Christian could even begin to embrace the idea that God hates .... anyone! "God so loved the world ..." The world! Not just this person, and that person, and the one over there. Not just Christians .... there weren't Christians when God through Jesus performed his act of restoration. God is not a god of exclusion!
So visibility gives us the opportunity to be inclusive. (Some part of me can't believe I'm saying this.) Even inclusive of such hateful people. God IS Love! What I pray is that my heart may be opened to be loving to mine enemies that their hearts may be opened to God's true love. Not quite sure how to do it, nor to be it. Not quite sure how to even express such a message to people who seem to be closed off in so many ways.
I guess I'm just going to have to live in ambivalence.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Stupid Hurricane
Does anyone remember me pontificating about anniversary dates not too long ago? Yep! I'm so aware of what's going on that I flat out got blind-sided when I realized that I've been muddling around in a fog for the last couple of weeks (at least).
Along about Friday, I began to realize that I was feeling this really weird distance from everyone - friends, co-workers, members of my congregation, even 'honorable enemies' (who disagree vehemently on most things but we interact respectfully). Ability to concentrate? HAH! If it was longer than a short paragraph, I couldn't read it, which really makes reading the newspaper difficult, much less the research I have to do each week to come up with a sermon. If I did manage to read it, it didn't make any sense. Makes holding coherent conversations a challenge too.
The hardest thing was this sense that there was an invisible wall between me and others. Now the reality is that I do sometimes isolate myself. Being an introvert, 'alone time' is essential to recharging the emotional batteries. However, I occasionally pull into my shell and don't make much contact with others. Not good. And that darned invisible wall was setting me up for some real isolation!
The good news is that I did finally realize what was happening. Stupid hurricane!! At some level, it was much like the way I felt in the week after the storm - stunned, lost, bewildered, in shock, uncertain of where people were or how to find them. I'm not going to let some stupid hurricane get the better of me, though.
Since Friday, I've been working slowly to reconnect with society, and I've managed to regain some of the concentration that went AWOL. It's a process and I'm aware of that. In the meantime, if you catch me wandering around muttering to myself, just say "Hello!" and remind me that this too shall pass. .... *drifts away from the keyboard with 'stupid hurricane' comments wafting along behind* ....
Along about Friday, I began to realize that I was feeling this really weird distance from everyone - friends, co-workers, members of my congregation, even 'honorable enemies' (who disagree vehemently on most things but we interact respectfully). Ability to concentrate? HAH! If it was longer than a short paragraph, I couldn't read it, which really makes reading the newspaper difficult, much less the research I have to do each week to come up with a sermon. If I did manage to read it, it didn't make any sense. Makes holding coherent conversations a challenge too.
The hardest thing was this sense that there was an invisible wall between me and others. Now the reality is that I do sometimes isolate myself. Being an introvert, 'alone time' is essential to recharging the emotional batteries. However, I occasionally pull into my shell and don't make much contact with others. Not good. And that darned invisible wall was setting me up for some real isolation!
The good news is that I did finally realize what was happening. Stupid hurricane!! At some level, it was much like the way I felt in the week after the storm - stunned, lost, bewildered, in shock, uncertain of where people were or how to find them. I'm not going to let some stupid hurricane get the better of me, though.
Since Friday, I've been working slowly to reconnect with society, and I've managed to regain some of the concentration that went AWOL. It's a process and I'm aware of that. In the meantime, if you catch me wandering around muttering to myself, just say "Hello!" and remind me that this too shall pass. .... *drifts away from the keyboard with 'stupid hurricane' comments wafting along behind* ....
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