Intersection

One important feature of the historic 2008 presidential election was the presence of progressive religious voices in the campaign.

So begins a letter I received on Christmas Eve. With that letter was a survey addressed to me specifically and explaining that my name was chosen at random from lists of “active citizens who have a unique perspective on the 2008 campaign”.

Here is the final paragraph from the cover letter explaining the purpose of the survey:

This survey is conducted exclusively for scholarly purposes. It is paid for by the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. John C. Green is the Institute's director, a distinguished professor of political science, and a long-time student of national politics. He is widely quoted in the news media, from the Christian Century to the New York Times. His most recent book is The Faith Factor: How Religion Influences American Elections. Robert P. Jones, Ph.D., a religious studies scholar who is president of Public Religion Research and author of the new book Progressive & Religious, is serving as an advisor to the project. Thank you for your time and consideration.

This is a 9 page survey and therefore somewhat time consuming to complete. Generally I consider myself a moderate in most things and it was a challenge not to choose the “neither yes or no” answer on certain questions.

Here are examples of just a few questions:

•In your judgment, how important was the 2008 election to the future of the country?
•Overall, how would you describe your views on political issues?
•What is your view of the Scriptures?
•What should be the main goal for religious people when they engage in politics?

When I see poll statistics, I often wonder why I am never polled. So this was a welcome opportunity to "speak my mind". Although I am still trying to figure out how I came to be on this list of “active citizens”. But I was glad for the opportunity to take the survey and found many of the questions thoughtful. I was grateful for the chance to stretch my mind a bit when considering my responses.

I will be getting a summary of the results sometime in the Spring of 2009.

Christmas Blessings to All

The Coming

And God held in his hand a small globe.
Look he said.
The Son looked.
Far off, as through water,
He saw a scorched land of fierce color.
The light burned there.
Crusted buildings cast their shadows:
A bright Serpent, a river
Uncoiled itself, radiant with slime.

On a bare hill a bare tree saddened the sky.
Many people held out their thin arms to it,
As though waiting for a vanished April
To return to its crossed boughs.

The Son watched them.
Let me go there, he said.


R. S. Thomas 1913-2000

Hell?

Many of my favorite bloggers are commenting on this topic. And much of my own personal Bible study and reflection lately has me grappling with the idea of a literal hell.

Stephen just sent me this link

It is an interesting documentary from NPR's This American Life.

Below is the description of the audio, link noted above.

304: Heretics Aired Dec 5, 2008

The story of Reverend Carlton Pearson, a renowned evangelical pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who cast aside the idea of Hell, and with it everything he'd worked for over his entire life.

Prologue.
Carlton Pearson's church, Higher Dimensions, was once one of the biggest in the city, drawing crowds of 5,000 people every Sunday. But several years ago, scandal engulfed the reverend. He didn't have an affair. He didn't embezzle lots of money. His sin was something that to a lot of people is far worse: He stopped believing in Hell. (2 minutes)

Act One. Rise.

Reporter Russell Cobb takes us through the remarkable and meteoric rise of Carlton Pearson from a young man to a Pentecostal Bishop: from the moment he first cast the devil out of his 17-year-old girlfriend, to the days when he had a close, personal relationship with Oral Roberts and had appearances on TV and at the White House. Just as Reverend Pearson's career peaked, with more than 5,000 members of his congregation coming every week, he started to think about Hell, wondering if a loving God would really condemn most of the human race to burn and writhe in the fire of Hell for eternity. (30 minutes)

Act Two. Fall.

Once he starts preaching his own revelation, Carlton Pearson's church falls apart. After all, when there's no Hell (as the logic goes), you don't really need to believe in Jesus to be saved from it. What follows are the swift departures of his pastors, and an exodus from his congregation—which quickly dwindled to a few hundred people. Donations drop off too, but just as things start looking bleakest, new kinds of people, curious about his change in beliefs, start showing up on Sunday mornings. (23 minutes)

Postscript: Carlton Pearson renamed his church after the story was produced: It is now called New Dimensions.

Song: "Let the Church Roll On," Mahalia Jackson

The Merry Christmas Mandate

There’s all kind of talk out there about the way we don’t say Merry Christmas to one another but instead “substitute” some other pleasantry such as “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings.”

Consider this

I often wonder what is wrong with these “alternate” greetings. They certainly are festive enough and connote a certain sentiment that seems appropriate in the winter month of December. After all, not everyone is celebrating the birth of the Christ child. Some folks are just glad for another reason to go shopping and others are celebrating different holidays that fall within the same time frame as “our” Christmas. Our Christmas? Is that the mall version, the right wing version or the go to church once a year version?

I have been thinking a lot about Christmas. What does the Christmas I see in our (American) culture have to do with the story of a baby sent by God to earth to live among us? A baby whose mother (in her 9th month?) and step-father were traveling because of some governmental directive. Out of town and away from home so that the Christ child was born in a barn on a bed of straw, surrounded by a bunch of farm animals.

I am drawn to the idea of humility as symbolized in the story of the birth of Christ. The gift is from God to humanity, not from me to you or you to me.

Humility has nothing to do with the way our (American) culture does Christmas. It is not humble or humbling, it is insane. Then there are the high expectations around this time of year. Stephen told me of his past experiences of visible looks of disappointment in the eyes of a recipient when presented with the less that “perfect” Christmas gift. It is crazy!

I heard this in a sermon at church and I try and think of Christmas this way;

“God sent the son to take our nature upon him. He came to scatter the darkness in the word made flesh. He came to join earth to heaven and heaven to earth.”

For those who decry not using Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, let me ask you, do you think you are honoring God or the Christ child because you say Merry Christmas? Is God offended or are you? If you are offended, why?

We are in Advent, the time of waiting and anticipating, what does it mean?
perhaps this

Consider this quote from the November issue of Sojourners:

“The month of November is a lectionary train wreck. The calendars of liturgical and secular feast days collide so that Halloween, All Saints’ Day, Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, and lighting the first Advent candle all fall within 30 days.”

and

“Despite green boughs and candles in the darkened church, Advent is not a pretty season. It is a powerful statement of challenge and resistance for Christians during the frenzy of consumption that has been made of our holy days…

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

Happy Thanksgiving

God Bless America

.....and now there is work to do.

I think that our place on the world's stage is very important.

And from the looks of these comments things are looking up.

US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: World leaders congratulate Obama on historic victory

CALLING FOR A NEW ERA: Leaders said they would look forward to the newly elected Obama, describing his victory as ‘brilliant,’ ‘historic’ and ‘extraordinary’

AFP, PARIS
Thursday, Nov 06, 2008, Page 7

World leaders hailed Senator Barack Obama’s triumph yesterday in the US presidential election as the start of a new era while calling for the global superpower to change the way it does business.

History Was Made Tonight!

Congratulations Barack Obama! Truly an amazing victory. There is a great deal of work ahead, may God be with you.




Thank you John McCain for your gracious words. From your lips to God's ears.

John McCain's classy concession speech
By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

John McCain says it upfront and does it in a classy way Tuesday night: He concedes to Barack Obama and praises him for becoming the nation's first black president.

McCain pledged to "do all in his power" to help Obama improve the country in these dangerous and fiscally challenging time.

He told his supporters to give Obama their help "to help restore our prosperity" and to defend the country.

"Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans," McCain said.

If only McCain had been this classy on the campaign trail, he may have had a better shot at winning the presidency.

Remember, McCain will still be in the Senate in the coming years; he's not up for re-election until 2010.

So we'll see soon whether McCain will be true to his word when the next Congress meets in 2009.

As McCain said, there are still huge differences between the two parties.

But McCain could help America the most if he stays true to his classy words of Tuesday night.

Hope, Fear and Something Else

This is long and maybe it rambles a bit, so read what you can and let me know your thoughts.

After an amazing birthday celebration with my niece Jordan and my wonderful family,
I vowed that I would stay away from any more political postings. So with five days left in this election cycle, this is it, je suis fini.

As a person of faith, my sincerest belief is that hope overcomes fear.
When I compare the two campaigns, I see a definite difference, there is no place for fear.

According to 1 John 4:18–21, the God I worship encourages us to live without fear.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love.

I struggle daily with this idea of loving my neighbor, but my faith teaches me that:

We love, because he first loved us.

If I claim faith then I am challenged because:

If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And further:

… this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.

And this is why I believe that Senator Obama exemplifies leadership for the future of America and is the best choice to be our next President. I believe that in general and overall, he has run a campaign based on the issues and not in tearing down his opponent.

And yet, while I was discussing this with Stephen, I found the cynicism creeping in. I kept thinking that we as a country deserve the leaders we get. Just look at the last 8 years.

So while I believe that hope can and should triumph over fear, I keep thinking that if Senator Obama wins this election and we as a country cannot truly get behind his vision for us as a nation, then the blame and ridicule and anger and distrust and the thinking that 2012 will somehow be better, will enter, full force, into the American psyche.

You know, the fact that there is still a percentage in this country who think Senator Obama is Muslim, Arab and a terrorist. The fact that white skinheads plan on killing him. The fact that he is referred to as a "risky" candidate and that he has anti-America sentiments. And of course there's the reality that some won't vote for him just because he is black. This stuff is nuts. Sometimes I just wish he would just go home and love his wife and his girls and stay safe and away from all of this nonsense that we call American politics.

So with that I confess I won’t be too disappointed if Senator McCain wins the election. If he does, we can continue on as we have. As I noted, we deserve the leaders we get. Then the blame for our failure as a nation and our failure as a positive presence on the world’s stage can fall where it has always fallen.

Senator Obama, thank you for the good fight and the idea that you could bring us together as a nation and as a people. Thank you for the reminder that the rights of every one of us; left, right, center, gay, straight, red, blue, rich or poor. That each of us with all of our flaws and with all of our hopes and dreams, could be respected. All of this is kind of like the way I believe that God looks at us each of us, at the end of each and every day, with love and mercy.

Matt.12: 1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."
He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."

So while I was thinking of the things I wanted to write and feeling a bit anxious. I found some peace in listening to Aaron Neville's beautiful version of Amazing Grace

No matter how this election turns out it also helps me to remember, as our Canon Pastor, Mary Haddad reminds us "where ever you are, God is, and all will be well."

Happy Birthday - October 15, 2008

I celebrated my birthday this year in Seattle. This was a special occasion for me and my niece Jordan. Most of you know that we share the birthday, October 15th. She was born in 1987 and I was born in 1948, so do the math and you will see that it was a special day for both of us and we got to celebrate it together.

There to help us celebrate were Stephen (behind the camera), my dear son Justin and Jordan’s parents, my beautiful sister Kay and brother-in-law Chris. I got birthday greeting phone calls from Angela and Andrea, so my day was complete.



What a special time. We had nothing but fun, good conversation, great food and a totally relaxing week.



I think the following poem is a perfect one for our birthday, enjoy.

Messenger

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.


~ Mary Oliver ~

Hanging On

I posted this in response to a question over at raincitypastor. You can read the original here

The reason I am posting it here is because in these remaining days until the election we are told to expect even more negative campaigning and even less focusing on the issues. There is the rhetoric at some of the campaign rallies that seem to rile up the crowds by stoking anger and division. (See video from previous post). Can it get any worse?

I agree that the two party system and the choices offered by that system are less than satisfactory. But this is what we have. And this time I am not going to make a protest vote although I admit as in elections past, I am tempted.

The campaigning is dirty and getting dirtier. The rallies are ugly, are the smears are rampant. The candidates lie and manipulate and their handlers are even worse. The candidates purport to be people of faith, yet they seem to ignore the Ninth Commandment. Is there an exemption on “not bearing false witness” during an election?

So, this time I am voting for the candidate who seems to me to be running the cleaner campaign of the two. And although it is very hard to hear amid all the commotion, if you listen very closely you can hear an ever so slightly quieter rhetoric coming from one side of the campaign trail and that candidate gets my support.

As a citizen, it is hard to stay focused and easy to become fearful and disenchanted. As a person of faith I try and trust that in what ever the circumstances God is there and all will be well.

McCain-Palin Rally

I saw this video in an article I read this morning.

Disclaimer: I know there are two sides to every story. I understand that so this post is coming from as unbiased a position as I can find within me. And I know out there lurks an equally offensive/ignorant bunch of people captured on video and produced by the "other side."

Having said that, is it just me or do you see a problem here? I assume that the individuals presented in this video are actual Americans sharing with us their informed opinions.




Seriously, whether you are red or you are blue, where does this mentality come from?

Dear Lord, show us the purple.


h/t bloggerinterrupted
found here

Thoughts on the Second Debate

So here are some of my thoughts on last night’s debate.
Boring, nothing new and neither candidate followed the rules. I wonder why they have debates anyway?

Oh well. Two things stood out for me though.

The first thing was the question from the 78-year-old Fiorra from Chicago.

Brokaw: All right, gentlemen, I want to just remind you one more time about time. We're going to have a larger deficit than the federal government does if we don't get this under control here before too long.

Sen. McCain, for you, we have our first question from the Internet tonight. A child of the Depression, 78-year-old Fiorra from Chicago.

Since World War II, we have never been asked to sacrifice anything to help our country, except the blood of our heroic men and women. As president, what sacrifices -- sacrifices will you ask every American to make to help restore the American dream and to get out of the economic morass that we're now in?

This got me to thinking about the sacrifices I heard about from my parents, two of which were the rationing of food. The photo shows a weeks worth of rationed food, common during WW II. And no nylon stockings for the women. You know to get the look of seams they actually used eyebrow pencil to draw lines up the back of their legs. But that’s another topic.



So when I heard that question my mind immediately went to “personal sacrifice.” You know an individual doing without something that we have come to take for granted and actually expect. You know, we can eat what we want, drive as much as we want, wear what we want and the like. For the greater good, would we be able to even consider doing without anything? What would happen if the President asked us as a nation to sacrifice?

I thought of the two responses, Sen. Obama came the closest to asking the public to sacrifice, when he took the question in the direction of energy. It was specific and of course timely. He said:

...each and every one of us can start thinking about how can we save energy in our homes, in our buildings....

The second point that stood out was this question:

Brokaw: Quick discussion. Is health care in America a privilege, a right, or a responsibility?
Sen. McCain?
McCain: I think it's a responsibility….
Obama: Well, I think it should be a right for every American.

There is nothing I can add to that one except I am glad to hear it acknowledged as a right, certainly not a privilege.




You can read the entire transcript here

I Couldn't Help Myself

I had to post this, it is hilarious.




Click here:

The Best Focus Group Ever

Taking a Deep Breath

I found this wonderful piece over at The Episcopal Café, Advice for Electiontide. In my haste to speak (or write) my mind (from my bias) I found this message by Sara Miles most humbling.

Read it here


In the meantime,

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Personal Destiny & The Common Good

This a bit long but I think an important topic anyway, especially in light of our country's current financial turmoil.

Plus it outlines an interesting convergence of listening, reading and talking that I have been a part of in the last 24 hours.

Stephen and I heard a great interview yesterday on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. Neal Conan interviewed Peter Gosselin, a national economics correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and the author of High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families.

Also yesterday my sister and I were conversing (long distance) on the topic of “individualism” in America and how that fits in with the idea of community and the common good.

Then today I read a portion of an interview of Joe Biden by Katie Couric. In this part of the interview, Biden stated “the people who do not need a new tax cut should be willing, as patriotic Americans, to understand the way to get this economy back up on their feet is to give middle class taxpayers a break.”

Upon hearing this and thinking of my conversation with Kay, I thought about a portion of the TOTN interview where Gosselin takes us back to our countries beginnings. Here is an excerpt from the forward to Gosselin’s book High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families.

(emphasis mine)

To begin to understand this paradox—how the United States as a whole could have grown richer while individuals and families have become financially less secure—and to begin to see whether the American promise endures, it is useful to look to the past, in this case to the distant past, New England in 1620. In that year, as the small sailing ship the Mayflower rode at anchor off the coast of Cape Cod, William Bradford and his fellow Pilgrims faced a crisis: Winter was coming on. Blown off course by storms, they would have to settle far north of their intended destination. And they faced the unexpected prospect of mutiny. Although most of us think of the Mayflower colonists as a tight-knit band of religious dissenters, in fact many on the ship did not share the Pilgrims' religious views; they had been recruited only to help finance the voyage. Now, some of these "Strangers," as the Pilgrims called them, muttered about going their own way, threatening a potentially fatal schism. So Bradford called a meeting. The result was the Mayflower Compact, a terse but unequivocal agreement to "combine ourselves together into a civil body politic" that would create such laws and regulations "as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience." Forty-one of fifty men on board signed on behalf of themselves, their wives, and their children.

The colonists who founded Plymouth Plantation were in the New World for all sorts of reasons—some to pursue religious beliefs, others to seek fortune, still others to enhance what fortunes they already had. And they were a people not much given to compromise. Yet under the pressure of brutal necessity—as many as half would die within a year—they agreed to yield some part of their individual autonomy to the group. More important, they agreed to a certain mutual responsibility for the well-being of one another, even if meeting that responsibility might sometimes clash with their private interests.

This implicit bargain lay at the heart of virtually everything that followed. The Revolution, the Constitution, the rise of a huge and diverse nation, all rested upon a common understanding: The new society would be dedicated to individual, not collective, dreams, but everyone would nevertheless accept some responsibility for each other and for the common good.

Strangely, however, over the past twenty-five years or so, the bargain struck aboard the Mayflower and extended forward through almost four hundred years of often turbulent history has begun to unravel. The basic social contract on which American society has always rested—no matter how imperfectly—has begun to change. The inherent balancing of competing interests that lay at the heart of the bargain has been upset.

The old idea that, even as we pursue our personal destinies, we owe an obligation to each other, to a "civil body politic," and to a "general good," has been shunted aside. In its place, wrapped in the economic doctrine of free markets and the moral precept of personal responsibility, stands a new first principle: Each of us is now expected to forge our own future, free to rise or fall as our talents and luck may dictate.

Any thoughts?

The interview with Peter Gosselin can be heard here

Passing Judgment

This last Sunday’s epistle was from Romans 14. I highly recommend reading it.

Romans 14: 1-12

Note verse 4;
Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand.

While this was being read in church Sunday I was thinking of an article I had recently read on michellemalkindotcom. Yes, I admit it, I try and read everything I can from as many perspectives as I can. It helps keep me balanced. It also infuriates me and often challenges me.

Her post was regarding the joint appearance by the two Presidential candidates at the Ground Zero on September 11.

Here it is, in part. Please note that I do not under any circumstances support Ms. Malkin or her opinions.

Ground Zero etiquette: A tale of two roses
By Michelle Malkin • September 11, 2008 10:41 PM

It’s a small gesture, but gestures matter at the hallowed grave site of so many murdered innocent Americans.

Barack Obama flings a memorial rose at Ground Zero like he’s a kid tossing pennies into a fountain at the shopping mall — or a spectator tossing flowers at a bullfight.

He doesn’t know what he’s doing.

(Clueless NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg copies him.)

By contrast, John McCain and his wife kneel and gently, somberly, place their roses down at the foot of the 9/11 tribute.

I was struck by her arrogant certainty. I am curious how this can be. Here she claims to know exactly what was in the hearts of all of the people she named. The truth is that her descriptions are based upon her own biases - one was flinging, one was gently placing. By her description of these gestures, Malkin passes judgment and wants you to do the same. And just as she does, she wants you to surmise the intentions and define the inner reflections of each of the participants.

I was saddened by what she wrote, but more I was saddened by the fact that this is what we do in our daily lives and encounters. We so easily heap criticism on one another. Those who are different from us and those we fear. Blogging about this is cathartic, because I find myself so often in judgment of others based upon nothing, absolutely nothing, but appearances.

Lord, have mercy.

Just for Fun - A Lullaby

My neighbor always forwards me random e-mail. Some are crazy, some are funny and some are way over my head. She gets them from all over the world and most of them are quite clever.

I know most people immediately delete if "fwd" shows in the subject line. I on the other hand try and give them a chance.

This one is too sweet to pass up and I thought I would share it with you all.

Enjoy.

Hope is the Thing With Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

Emily Dickinson

After Wednesday night I began to think that I might be losing track of what is important. I posted my rant and spent the next day feeling a bit anxious. What I realized is that I might be getting too caught up in the outcome. Of course I am looking for change but I know that neither party can really affect true change. That has to come from within each of us as individuals and flow outward into our homes, our communities and into the world.

I don’t want to loose sight of what is most important in all of this and that is:

.... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8

Stephen wrote this to a friend of ours and it seems appropriate for this conversation;

Due to a project crisis at work (what else is new), I was in the City until about 6:30. Overheard on the Embarcadero platform was a conversation between two 30-ish Caucasian women and a 20-ish African-American man. the gist of the conversation was their perceived reality which included the idea that within a few years, either Biden or Palin would be president because either Obama would be assassinated or McCain would die in office. Their recommendation was to vote for the Vice-Presidential candidate you thought would make the best president. How's that for optimism amongst the working class?

I wish candidates could take the high road and stay out of the mud, but when they do, they're perceived as being weak, not ethical. I'm afraid Obama is going to have to get his hands dirty. Maybe that's one reason he has Biden on the ticket, but McCain, et al, are going to do whatever they can to diminish him.

The irony is that the Republicans preach optimism, but when Obama talks about hope, he's criticized for being an empty suit.

I am not proud of my country. We have gone to war against an enemy who wasn't there, ignored the enemy who is there, turned our backs on the victims of genocide and allowed our own citizens to suffer if it enabled a corporation to benefit. The democrats are as culpable as the republicans.

While I'm old enough to remember John Kennedy, I wasn't attuned enough (I was 6 when he ran for office) to understand anything he stood for. I have since come to understand that he offered hope to a nation, was firm in national defense and was more fiscally conservative/responsible than GWB. He is revered today, in part because he was martyred, but what is wrong with a presidential candidate offering a little hope.

We're all adults; we know what's promised on the campaign trail seldom becomes reality, but I'll take hope any day. After all, according to 1 Cor. 13, there abides faith, hope and love. Well, I don't have much faith in my government, and I don't think my government has much love for me, so I guess I'll go with hope.

Warning: My First Political Rant

I am not sure I really want to put anything to political on my blog, although I don’t mind sharing some of my faith values. I am not real savvy politically and probably not very savvy spiritually either, depending on whom you ask. In both cases I know what resonates with me and it’s from there I try and grow my faith and practice my life and practice my faith and grow my life.

Those who know me, know that I hate labels. So, a disclaimer: I am registered independent and favor no party over another.

Right now, I am responding to Ms. Palin's speech that I watched on TV earlier tonight, written for her and well delivered to be sure, but the content:

Rude, condescending, sarcastic, mocking and while I might have been on the fence (re: my vote) before, I no longer am.

I was embarrassed and outraged at her tone and at the content of her speech. Talk about business as usual.

Stephen reminds me that it is her job to attack the other side. I ask, how does this help the American people?

The RNC convention is in St. Paul, Minnesota. If "country first" is their mantra, why did the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis, MN in 2007? My sister and niece could have been hurt, or worse in that collapse. The infrastructure of our country is in the toilet and all they can say is country first. A major contradiction if you ask me. Where are the resources to protect and improve our own country? Are all our resources spent protecting us from Islamic terrorists? What about the terror of our broken cities and states?

Eight years of Republican administration has done nothing to put "country first" in our own Country. Do Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin have a plan to address that, or are they grandstanding?

I haven’t even addressed the double standard regarding an “out of wedlock” pregnancy in the daughter of an “abstinence only” preaching mother. And how it is a “bonus” (quote; Levi Johnston’s mother) because they were going to marry anyway?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/09/01/politics/p091657D38.DTL

I just can’t help but think what they would say if the “opponent’s” family would have faced the same “crisis?” Notice these other contradictions:

http://www.thatminoritything.com/?p=53193

And while they are at it, trying to legislate everything “moral” for everyone in America and, dare I say, the world, they want (and rightly so) to keep their personal family matters private. Again another double standard, don’t you think? If it is their family, it is private. If it is your family, it is public.




In the mean time I will leave the experts to address the contradictions and misrepresentations in Ms. Palin’s speech.

Right now, I am a bit upset and quite frankly embarrassed to be an American, plus my cat just died on Saturday, so pardon my rant.

Having mentioned above that I am not sure I really want to put anything to political on my blog, I have obviously crossed that line.

Thanks for reading and may God have mercy on us all.

Rest in Peace Nay Nay

Stephen wrote this beautiful little tribute to our dear sweet cat. She died last Saturday morning.



Renée left us today, August 30, 2008. After a short and sudden illness, we made the difficult decision to mercifully euthanize her before she had to endure more discomfort, suffering and pain. She was a wonderful and gregarious cat, loved by all who knew her. She wanted to meet everyone who came to the house and never turned down the opportunity to get her belly rubbed. She enjoyed sleeping in her basket in the garden window and being on the deck, especially when the house was hot and it was cool outside. She also enjoyed the occasional snack and some tuna straight from the can.

Now she’s somewhere in a large garden where there is a cool breeze, comfortable grass to lay on and a never ending supply of good eats. Be well Renée, we miss you.




She used to come when you called her, just like a puppy. Her personality was priceless. In addition to the basket in the garden window, she had a basket under my desk. I especially miss her sitting there at my feet while I worked. Yes, we sure do miss you Nay Nay.




Iris is still with us and we hope she has happy memories too.

280 Indian Road

Well, as my little blog is growing, I find I am adding more and more, not only from my own thoughts and feelings, but also bits and pieces from my life and those memories which have informed my life.

My dad, as he was aging and before macular degeneration completely took over his eye sight, began writing. He liked to think of these writing (on yellow lined paper pads) as his "memoirs" and I only wish he could have written more. I have about a half dozen handwritten pages of his memories. I am pleased to share this one with you all.

Some of you know my Grandma Mimi's house as it was when were children. For others, here is my dad's recollection of this house his dad built, here in his is own words


My Dad’s “Dream House:

At the age of 8 or 9 (I’m not positive of my age) my dad started building on a beautiful parcel of land in the City of Piedmont. It was 3.5 acres facing on both La Salle Avenue and Indian Road. It was heavily wooded with oak on the east and the land sloped and was quite open to the west. In between it was level and it was here that the house was built. It was dad’s “dream house,” which in later years was designated a showplace.

The house was three stories with a full basement and living quarters for a man servant. A large laundry area was also located in the basement. I remember a heavy table with all sorts of pads and an ironing sheet. The table was suitable for ironing bed sheets.

The ground floor consisted of a large foyer or entry hall, to the left was the library, Straight ahead through French doors was the living room, a room of ample size. Another pair of French doors led to the dining room. Off the dining room was the breakfast room, the butler’s pantry and the kitchen with the 8 burner and 4 oven Magic Chef creation, then the vegetable pantry and larder.

The second floor was reached via a formal staircase and contained a guest room, master bathroom, Mother’s room, Dad’s room and bathroom. My sister Betty’s room and bath, a maids room and bath, plus sewing room.

The third floor was the domain of me and my brothers. We each had a room, four bedrooms, a bath and sleeping porch. The décor was strictly masculine. Except for the bathroom and sleeping porch, the entire floor was constructed of redwood board and batten.

Dad and Mother entertained in great fashion. A formal dinner at times, countless casual parties, tremendous “open house”get togethers at Christmas or New Years. My brother’s and I were able to share in any and all of these functions.

Mother and Dad were very proud of their home and the beautiful gardens surrounding it. Dad was a rhododendron and azalea fancier and quite possibly had the largest privately owned garden of this type in California. He also planted three five foot redwood trees in the center of the garden. Those trees now standing some 50 or 60 feet in height are living landmarks of 280 Indian Road, Piedmont.

Mother and Dad both passed away in the house. Dad in 1940 and Mother in 1963.

Our GrandDog Nigel

Justin asked us to dog sit Nigel last week while he toured Disneyland with his friends.
It was great fun! Iris was aloof as ever so you won't see her in any of these photos. Note that Renee and Nigel found a way to peacefully co-exist together.

Art Inspires

Stephen and I visited the Legion of Honor Museum yesterday. We were there for the exhibit;

Women Impressionists:
Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzalès, Marie Bracquemond

What a glorious collection of work. These women were contemporaries of Manet, Monet, Degas, Pissaro and Renoir.

Here is a description I wrote down during the visit at the museum.

“All four women were acquainted with their Impressionist colleagues and gained acceptance into the group. However, once achieving the status of professional artists, they still had to negotiate the conventional notions of proper behavior for women of their class. They were not allowed to be seen in public without a chaperone or to enter the cafe-concerts or bars that their male counterparts relied heavily upon for their colorful stock characters. Thus, whereas their male peers explored a wide range of subjects drawn from everyday life, social convention largely confined these women artists to their domestic environment, and their subjects reflected their perception of the world from within this limited sphere.”

Looking at these amazing masterpieces, what struck me was how in spite of the obvious talent represented, the struggle for equality has been a long hard battle for women for a very long time and I often loose track of that fact as I live out being female in the 20th /21st century. Living within the confines of their culture these women still made such a huge difference and can be an inspiration today to women and girls everywhere. What a blessing!

Here is a wonderful quote:

“I shall obtain independence only by persevering and by making not a secret of my intention of emancipating myself.”
Berthe Morisot
1841 – 1895

Her painting La psyché (The Mirror) is pictured above.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area don’t miss this exhibit. It closes September 21.
http://www.women-impressionists.org/

the english language is missing a word....

Stephen’s niece Michelle (his brother’s daughter, not my brother’s daughter. Yes he has two nieces named Michelle). Anyway, his brother’s daughter is an English teacher. She told Stephen this story: At some point she was helping a student with a paper where he was using the word “developed” several times in his story. She reviewed his work and tried to encourage him to expand his vocabulary. She suggested that he try and come up with another descriptive word to enhance his paper without overusing the word “developed.” She offered some alternatives including the word “evolved" which would have maintained the integrity of his story and the assignment. He responded that he was not allowed to use that word. Evolved??? That's right, evolve as in evolution???

Yes, there are people out there who will not use the complete English language because, why???

Breaking the law, oops....

As it happens, today is the anniversary of Earl Zindar's death.
I wish his family and loved ones peace as they remember his life.

And so it seems that I can not link his music tune to my blog, copyright law you know.
So I removed the link and now you all must get the music for yourself. Bottom line I need a BMI license, way too much money for what I want to do. Too bad.

http://zindars.com/

By the way, while I was trying to find a way to play this legally I sent a note to Anne, Earl's wife.
I wanted to see if she had any ideas about this. I received a wonderful e-mail reply from her and she asked about Justin.
Very nice that she remembered him. Yes Anne, Justin is just fine and he is a wonderful son.

I Always Think of You (for my son Justin)

One of the great joys of being self-employed and working from home is being able to listen to anything I want to during the day. Whether it is NPR, or some sermon podcast, or something in my iTunes, I get to choose and sometimes I listen to nothing at all. On Friday I was working and decided to look at my iTunes play list. I decided to play some music Justin got for me back in 2004. The artist is Earl Zindars, The music is some really beautiful jazz. The albums I have are And Then Some and The Return.

In early January 2005 a small package addressed to me arrived in the mail. Inside were the above named CDs with a post-it note attached. Justin told me the story; at the time he was working at the Masonic Avenue Good Guys in San Francisco. As part of his job and sometimes just to be helpful, he sometimes went to customer’s homes to help them with their audio and/or video systems. Earl and his wife Anne came into the store and bought a TV from Justin and he went to their home to set it up for them. While Justin was there, the topic of music came up and Earl asked Justin what kind of music he liked in the jazz genre. Justin mentioned his favorite, Bill Evans. Earl went on to mention that he had worked with Bill and that they had been friends over the years and that Bill was at his wedding. He gave Justin two CDs. Justin enjoyed the music and contacted Earl to see if he could buy another copy of the same recordings for me. That is how I came to receive the recordings and Earl’s note.



Friday as I was listening, I got to thinking about how I was introduced to Earl Zindar’s music through Justin. I did a google search and I saw that he had passed away in August 2005 just 8 months after sending me the CDs and the note.


Reading about his life was pretty neat and I felt a bit nostalgic about the whole thing. Although I like jazz, I am not a true aficionado but I know what I like and I like Earl Zindars. Be sure and check him out.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/19/BAGAREA6QJ1.DTL


http://www.zindars.com/

Happy Birthday Mother

Helen Elaine Kern Markwart
July 31, 1921 - May 6, 1999.

Shortly after mother died I was fortunate to be able to join a mother/daughter grief group. This was a wonderful experience where adult daughters shared the sadness and loss due to the death of our mothers. Each of us brought a unique experience to the group. I was and am grateful for the experience.

During the group I often doodled in my journal while listening to the others share their thoughts and feelings. In spite of the sometimes strained relationship I had with her I was able to think of many things for which I am thankful that I had the mother I had.



During the early days of my grieving, I spent time making a lamp shade with old buttons that she had. Doesn't every mother have a collection of old buttons? Touching all those buttons, many I remember from my childhood, was a healing experience. Sewing each one, one at a time, onto the shade was meditative as well. Later I found the perfect lamp base and the whole thing is magnificent. After I die, I wonder who will want mother's beautiful lamp.

I edited my "I figured it out today" post

And looking back on it I realize that this is how I live my life, looking inward and upward and a little outward. And then the dreaded word came up:

Introspection; that's i-n-t-r-o-s-p-e-c-t-i-o-n.

Then I was reminded of the time I was labeled; "introspective to a dangerous degree" by a less than reliable source.

Remember that? I say pshaw, that's not me. Introspective, yes. Dangerous? I don't think so.

Besides, I already let you in on my secret in my very first post back on on September 1, 2005. Yea Socrates.

Any thoughts out there on introspection? or sin? or????

and more......

I already mentioned that it seems if you go looking for the worst in life, you will find it. It has always been there in every age and generation. But are we to focus on it?

I prefer to face the truth about life and at the same time try and see the good in my fellow human beings.

For example, after the wedding of Jenna Bush I began trying to see her father as a dad instead as a President. It really helps when you stop to humanize those with whom you disagree.

Disclaimer: I am an independent/moderate politically, neither conservative nor liberal. Those labels are simply too limiting in this complex and fallen world.

This life often has its challenges but God is with us and all will be well.

Psalm 30:5 - For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

I figured it out today, I think...

It seems if you go looking for the worst in life, you will find it. Sure there is all the evil out there (in the culture) but what about the good?

Warning: I am not a trained theologian, although some say those who seek after God are all theologians. Here are some ideas of mine;

Sin is a noun, it is not a verb (an action word). Sin is a condition. Separated from God and God’s desire for our communion with God and each other, with ourselves and with the environment.

The verbs, (to make) a mistake, to err, to (commit) a crime, etc. those actions are results of the separation and often speak to our “human nature.” I don’t think of those actions as “sin” in and of themselves but actions we choose as a result of our sinful/separated state.

I think infants are born innocent (never having yet made a mistake) but still born in the separated state to parents also in the separated state whom God placed in their particular time in history. If you are reading this, then you like me are here and now. This is our particular time in history.

For me pursuing God and the purpose to life all the while recognizing God's longing for me, are daily steps I take to help me narrow my separation gap.

Does this make any sense? It may be a simplistic way to look at the subject. But that is ok for now, because I am still working on it, all of it.

Father's Day 2008

This morning Stephen asked me to describe my happiest memory of my father (1915-2001).
We were driving across the Bay Bridge on our way to Grace Cathedral for the 11:00 Liturgy.
On our way there we always pass by Tadich Grill on California St. I imagined it being 1938 and Dad having lunch there.
A block from the Cathedral is the Mark Hopkins Hotel. I imagined Dad there with his friends for an evening at the Top of the Mark.

Fast forward circa 1958 - I said that for me my happiest memory was sitting on the arm of the big black chair watching him work a crossword puzzle and listen with him to the Lucky Lager Dance Time radio program. I sat on the arm or sometimes at his feet, while wafts of smoke would drift from his lit cigarette and envelope me in a haze of who he was and what he enjoyed. I remember it as though it were yesterday and to this day I too love crosswords and the music of the 30's, 40's and 50's. Thanks Dad.

Happy Father's Day Dad I thought of you today. I love you.