Call me crazy. Call me corny. Call me a crybaby.
I balled as Barack Obama promised to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
I don’t presume to understand the level of pride and hope millions of underrepresented Americans must feel right now, but today’s events call for reflection, albeit through my limited lens.
I’ve never been denied restaurant service or been forced to the back of a bus. My somewhat sheltered life has been relatively uneventful. Born in Alabama 19 days after that bloody march across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, I’ve seen a desegregated South -- a desegregated America -- where many were publicly guaranteed freedoms, but in reality still battled hatred and discrimination.
I’ve heard slurs roll off tongues of men who, just moments before, were invoking God’s name, apparently unaware of the depth of his love or measure of his grace. I’ve seen emblems of hatred and divisiveness ignorantly emblazoned upon ball caps and belt buckles. I’ve witnessed a burning cross and the frightening sight of hooded men gathered in the darkness of night.
But today, I experienced hope.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, September 29, 2008
Timber!!!
If you've ever heard a tree fall in the forest you might have felt a sense of deja vu today.
But I'm afraid the 777 point drop in the Dow was only the first rustling. It was just branches popping on the surrounding pines. We haven't yet heard the thud.
No one knows what the fallout will be once the tree finally hits the ground.
But I'm afraid the 777 point drop in the Dow was only the first rustling. It was just branches popping on the surrounding pines. We haven't yet heard the thud.
No one knows what the fallout will be once the tree finally hits the ground.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Greatest Show on Earth
Talk about sensory overload. And I felt right at home.
We just returned from an afternoon at the circus. You know ... clowns, cotton candy, and even the occasional pile of crap.
I don't know about you, but I find it a little difficult to decide which big top act deserves my attention. You've got an elephant with a paintbrush at one end, crazy clowns at the other, and sequined beauties dangling from a trapeze in the center ... and those are just the pre-show acts.
Once the lights dim, it becomes even more difficult to choose. Of course the tightrope walkers have most folks on the edge of their seats, but outside the spotlight you've also got the men in black hauling in a hamster wheel the size of a mac truck. And then there's Kate, my 4-year-old, focusing on the most interesting thing of all ... the strips of red, yellow and blue confetti dotting the floor.
Story of my life. Now that I've quit work it seems like every day is a circus. And I mean that in the best possible way, of course. There's so much competing for my time. And it's all good stuff. Okay, most of it is good stuff. But if I don't make some conscious decisions about my time, I'll just end up spinning on that hamster wheel.
A show the size of the "Bellobration" I witnessed today requires a great deal of planning. It's amazing how people are constantly moving behind the scenes in preparation for the next act. While there may be a lot of action, it's purposeful action. There is a grand plan that's being followed, and then there's a spotlight that's intended to help the crowd stay focused.
That's what I need ... a plan and a spotlight.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119: 105 (NRSV)
We just returned from an afternoon at the circus. You know ... clowns, cotton candy, and even the occasional pile of crap.
I don't know about you, but I find it a little difficult to decide which big top act deserves my attention. You've got an elephant with a paintbrush at one end, crazy clowns at the other, and sequined beauties dangling from a trapeze in the center ... and those are just the pre-show acts.
Once the lights dim, it becomes even more difficult to choose. Of course the tightrope walkers have most folks on the edge of their seats, but outside the spotlight you've also got the men in black hauling in a hamster wheel the size of a mac truck. And then there's Kate, my 4-year-old, focusing on the most interesting thing of all ... the strips of red, yellow and blue confetti dotting the floor.
Story of my life. Now that I've quit work it seems like every day is a circus. And I mean that in the best possible way, of course. There's so much competing for my time. And it's all good stuff. Okay, most of it is good stuff. But if I don't make some conscious decisions about my time, I'll just end up spinning on that hamster wheel.
A show the size of the "Bellobration" I witnessed today requires a great deal of planning. It's amazing how people are constantly moving behind the scenes in preparation for the next act. While there may be a lot of action, it's purposeful action. There is a grand plan that's being followed, and then there's a spotlight that's intended to help the crowd stay focused.
That's what I need ... a plan and a spotlight.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119: 105 (NRSV)
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Farewell
Hello and goodbye ... all in one breath.
Today marks my first attempt at blogging, but I'm sad to say it comes just after hearing of my aunt's death. So this, my first post, is dedicated to Aunt Myrlie.
A series of events has caused me to reevaluate priorities in recent months -- so much so that I quit my job in order to focus on family. My aunt's death, like that of her twin sister just months ago and that of my mother-in-law in March, serves to remind me of my own mortality. When my time comes I want to make sure I have no regrets. So this blog will focus on those things that are most important ... faith and family.
Today marks my first attempt at blogging, but I'm sad to say it comes just after hearing of my aunt's death. So this, my first post, is dedicated to Aunt Myrlie.
A series of events has caused me to reevaluate priorities in recent months -- so much so that I quit my job in order to focus on family. My aunt's death, like that of her twin sister just months ago and that of my mother-in-law in March, serves to remind me of my own mortality. When my time comes I want to make sure I have no regrets. So this blog will focus on those things that are most important ... faith and family.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
