Last night I attempted to make a double batch of Rice-a-Roni, enough for all four of us. I started by dumping the rice mixture and the seasoning packet into a big pan. Mistake. The seasoning packet comes later. But once it's mixed in, there's no separating it. So I proceeded.

Add butter, let it melt, and saute the rice until it's a golden brown. Well, with the seasoning coating everything, everything was discolored. Plus, it burned. Lots of burned rice. I decreed that the sauteing was complete, and proceeded to add water, bring it to a boil, and let it simmer in the covered pan for 15 minutes. And 20 minutes. And 25.

Taste test. I scooped out some rice. It was crunchy. But that was probably just the shaved almonds. So I extracted one solitary piece of rice and stuck it in my mouth. It was hard and crunchy.

So I dumped the whole thing in the trash, and our supper became, instead, a tray-full of pizza rolls. Very healthy. I should stick to grilling.

Posted at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning I stopped at Starbucks, saw that Komodo Dragon was the day's decaf coffee, and walked out.

Komodo Dragon is strong, evil stuff, concocted in the labyrinths of Mordor. My fear is that it will eat through my plastic mug, through the cup holder, and through the floorboard, like alien acid blood. This could actually happen.

So I opted to stop at the Java Hut in Roanoke, on the way to work. They actually have very good coffee.

Posted at 08:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been reading BusinessWeek for over 20 years, and enjoy finding things that apply to the church. The backpage column by Jack and Suzy Welch (he's the renowned former pres of General Electric) is always engaging. They just answer questions people send. In the January 15 issue, someone said workers went on strike at their largest factory, demanding higher pay, even though they paid the same as at other factories.

The Welches responded that when labor issues erupt, the trouble can usually be traced to workplace leadership--usually, a plant boss or foreman who is abusive, insensitive, bullying, secretive, or all of the above. "In short," they write, "bad management most likely caused your strike."

Is that usually the problem when problems arise in churches? A pastor or "church boss" or elder board who are insensitive, bullying, secretive? Yes, I've seen shades of that time and again in our churches. (At my own church, though, we try to be highly transparent, and our pastor takes the lead in that.)

The Welches say the answer is to install plant leaders who are transparent, candid, fair, and respectful. Yes, we need church leaders like that, too.

A key principle, they say, is to give workers a voice and dignity. "All employees, not just the ones carrying briefcases, need to be heard. Factory workers in particular need to know they are more to the company than just a pair of hands at a machine. Their ideas count." So how do you do this? You listen, you create forums where workers are encouraged to raise their ideas for doing things better. "Nothing builds resentment like a factory boss standing cross-armed in his glassed-in office, overseeing from on high." We at the denominational headquarters (my day job) are often perceived this way, though it's not fair.

And then they conclude with this, which I really like: "What you need are local plant leaders who are comfortable with dialogue. That builds trust....When managers operate transparently and fairly and workers know it, there is no need for a third party to broker the conversation between them. There is just one team, working together to win."

A lot of good stuff there about dealing with people.

Posted at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Somebody stole the church's outside air-conditioning unit. Just backed up to the church, removed the big unit, and hauled it away. Probably gonna tear it apart for the copper and aluminum. Swell. At least we're not exactly using it right now.

I guess a lot of this is happening. I'm sure that the scrap metal dealers, when they receive materials from air-conditioners, have no idea whatsoever that it might be stolen stuff.

Posted at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Steak 'N Shake is probably my favorite restaurant. I never get tired of going there. Went there this afternoon for a bowl of chili. Scrumptious. Here are some of the great things about Steak 'N Shake.

1. Those fabulous thin fries.
2. Can't beat the chili. Non-spicy, thick, tasty.
3. They show a playful, deliberately cheesy sense of humor in their commercials.
4. Neon signage.
5. They give you those big, wide straws which require less sucking power, especially with milkshakes.
6. The gumball machines. Pam always gives me a quarter after I pay the bill, so I can get a big cherry gumball.
7. Your drink comes in a really big glass (which is actually glass).
8. The best patti melt anywhere (though my favorite sandwich is the Frisco Melt).
9. The black-and-white checkerboard design motif.
10. Open 24 hours.

Posted at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaking of American Idol--and isn't everybody?--I need to give a thumbs-up to Chris Daughtry's album, "Daughtry." I listened to the clips on iTunes several weeks ago and liked them all, so I downloaded the whole album. And I tell you--it's really good. A solid, hard-rocking, "no compromise Chris" album.

I would go see Taylor Hicks perform. But I'm not sure I'd want to listen to his album recreationally. But with Daughtry's album, I can fire up Photoshop for a design project and crank up the volume, and all is well in my world.

Posted at 08:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I enjoy reading novels as an escapist kind of diversion. I once devoured thrillers (Ludlum, Clancy, Morrell, Cussler), but in more recent years I have favored older hard-boiled detective novels by folks like Raymond Chandler, James Cain, and Dashiell Hammett. These guys wrote in the early to mid 1900s, when explicit sex scenes and profanity were taboo in literature. It's nice reading books without all that junk (only general immorality, skullduggery, and senseless killings). Right now I'm reading Hammett's The Thin Man, written in1933. Before that, I read Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train (1950).

I find myself being oddly purposeful in how I tackle books. For example, Highsmith's book was 280 pages. When I start a book, I always note how many pages until the end. My first goal is to get through the first 100 pages. Then I feel I'm committed to the book; I can't back out, but must finish it. My next goal is to get to the halfway mark. So after reaching page 100, I set my eyes on page 140. Then I focus on the point where I have just 100 pages to go--in this case, page 180. And then it's just a matter of counting down, ten pages at a time.

This would seem to get in the way of escapism, this quest for The End. But that's how I am and have always been. My own private little neurosis.

Posted at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, another State of the Union address tonight. The last time I watched Bush give this speech, he convinced me that Saddam Hussein was acquiring nuclear material and that an invasion of Iraq was justified. Bush knew he was at the least stretching the truth, if not outright lying. He lost my trust then, and has done nothing to regain it.

I haven't watched a State of the Union since, and pay scant attention to any of Bush's speeches. I'll skip tonight's speech, too. I'd rather go play table tennis.

Besides, he's in "legacy preserving" mode. Which is a futile endeavor. I've said for a long time that Bush is the worst president of my lifetime. He's quickly plunging toward being one of the worst presidents of all time. Fortunately, just two more years.

Posted at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Molly has been curious about Connor lately. The other night she kept watch on Connor as he snoozed in his crib, peering over the top or through the mesh on the side. It was cute to watch.

We enjoy having Allen, Carolyn, and Connor staying with us. They both need more in terms of employment. Allen's not had more than a few days of work since they came to stay with us in early December. Carolyn had two days of work last week at Toys R Us, and one day the week before that. So that's a matter of prayer. Two other fellows in our Wednesday night prayer group, Dan and RJ, also need work. I signed my name as a reference for an application for RJ on Sunday.

I've been promising people I would post more photos of Connor. So here goes. Just click on a link to view the photo.

• Carolyn and Allen with Connor
• Connor is doing a good job of standing (with help).
• Connor and me taking a nap before going to prayer meeting.
• Connor eating some nasty green stuff.
• Connor is SO cute when he sleeps in my arms. Photo 1 | Photo 2
• Connor fighting sleep.
• This kicking thing is interesting.
• Allen, Pam, and Connor.
• Pam multi-tasking. She's feeding Connor while also giving attention to her own kid, Molly. Just behind Connor's head you can see Jordi curled up on the floor.
• On my shoulder, right where I like him.
• On Pam's shoulder.
• With Pam while we were watching the Colts-Patriots game. Photo 1 | Photo 2

Posted at 09:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pastor Tim told us in church this morning that if the Colts make it to the Super Bowl, we are all supposed to come to church on Super Bowl Sunday clad in Colts garb. So...looks like that's what we'll be doing.

Both owner Jim Irsay and Coach Tony Dungy, in the post-game interviews, gave God credit for the win. I'm glad God is so deeply interested in football that he would engineer a victory for the Colts. I would hate to require that the Colts win on talent alone, without divine help. It's also reassuring that God is discerning enough to know that he should get behind the Colts, and that he should make sure the Patriots (despite their Religious Right approved name) don't win. Indiana is, after all, a solid Republican state, and a stark contrast to those liberals in Massachusetts. Football is one of the few things in the world that is so important that it requires divine intervention. We should all give it more prayer attention.

I'm wondering who God will favor in the Super Bowl. Will he once again intervene on behalf of the Colts, or will he allow evil to prevail in this fallen world? We'll know in two weeks.

Posted at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, we finally got some snow. This has sure been an easy winter.

The first service was a bit down, because of the snow. Just a cozy 25 people. Tim improvised in a fun way. Our sanctuary has a dozen rows of chairs down the middle, and then three round tables on both sides. People enjoy sitting around the tables. Tim had everyone gather on one side, and we pushed the three tables together.

The worship team was all ready to start into our music package, but it didn't seem right. We'd be facing straight out at the sanctuary, while everyone was off to the side around the tables. So we just skipped the music. Instead, Tim distributed hymnals (which we squirrel away in a back room) and let people pick out hymns to sing. A real blast from the past. I sat at the grand piano, hoping I would know the hymns. I knew all but one (and I probably knew that one--I just couldn't get the tune in my head).

People picked hymns like "A Shelter in the Time of Storm," "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee," "Ring the Bells of Heaven," "Jesus Loves Me," "Praise Him Praise Him," and another five or so. First and last verse of each. It was fun.

We shared around the tables, and then Tim gave an abbreviated version of his sermon, sans Powerpoint slides.

It was an enjoyable service. A memorable one. It's nice to improvise.

Posted at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saw a great bumper sticker today. It said:

Posted at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just came across a really great post on the Internet Monk blog called, "Five Reasons I Don't Like MLK Day." The author, Michael Spencer, is actually a big fan of Martin Luther King, and you see his admiration throughout the post. But he makes some really good points. For instance, he doesn't like the fact that it's become an African-American holiday, instead of an American holiday (after all, President's Day isn't a caucasian holiday).

Anyway, it's a great post. And it's worth sticking around for the comments, too.

My brother Rick also wrote about MLK Day on his blog.

I've been rather indifferent about the holiday, perhaps because I know so few African-Americans. But after seeing the "I Have a Dream" speech on Sunday at church, and after reflecting on it this week, I've realized how worthy this holiday is.

I've also tried to analyze my tangled thoughts on race. I spent my first nine years in an all-white town with a racist reputation (Huntington, Ind.). Then we moved to Pennsylvania, where Dad taught in an all-black urban school (including during the riots following King's assassination). Meanwhile, in my suburban elementary school, we had one black student in my fourth-grade class: Keemie Hampton. I remember her name, when I can't remember the names of any other classmates, which is interesting. She was a nice girl who acted just like all of the white girls; she just had a different skin color. I have memories of some derogatory comments guys made about her because of her skin color, but not in her presence. Still, while I don't recall any blatant racism among my classmates, I'm sure Keemie has different memories.

Then we moved to Arizona, to a minority-free town (Lake Havasu City). And then, as I entered my junior year of high school, we settled into our first pastorate in Pixley, Calif., a multi-racial town. What an eye-opener. My first day of school, upon leaving the bus at the end of the day, I found myself surrounded by a group of blacks as one of them (a skinny guy I actually might have been able to take) tried to pick a fight with me, and all the other blacks egged us on. I managed to escape unscathed, but it certainly implanted some enduring impressions in a mind which, until then, was pretty much a blank slate when it came to racial issues.

I quickly changed buses. I still rode with blacks and hispanics and Filipinos and Portuguese and other ethnics (including white Oakies and Arkies), but I never felt threatened again.

We had a full-court basketball court in back of the parsonage, and I regularly played with local blacks and Hispanics. Race was never an issue in those games; ability was what mattered, and I could hold my own just fine. Plus, they appreciated that we let them use the court, and they were generally respectful of our property.

Our church had a team in the summer basketball park league. One night I seriously outplayed Duane, partly because he was half-drunk (I could clearly smell the wine as he tried to guard me), and he took offense. After the game, he came at me with a crowbar, and none of my church friends were around. I looked to Duane's brother, Alvin, for help (we played on the high school team together), but he just looked away, and I knew I was on my own against a bigger, stronger guy who was going psycho. I still don't know what kept Duane from swinging the crowbar before I got in the Toyota and drove away. It scared the daylights out of me.

After two years in that town, I carried away a lot of negative thoughts regarding people of other races--not racist thoughts, per se (I've never considered myself racist), but some definite baggage. Maybe some of those "first impressions" are still with me. These thoughts have been on my mind this week.

But despite all of that, I can admire the necessary, late-coming changes which occurred in America as a result of Martin Luther King's incredible leadership.

Posted at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Indiana is blessed with two really good Senators, Richard Lugar (Republican) and Evan Bayh (Democrat). Both show much wisdom and independent thinking regarding foreign policy. Evan Bayh would make a strong candidate for president if he could win his party's nomination, which he can't, because he's too conservative to survive the primaries. He tested the waters last fall and decided no.

I like what he says in the January 15, 2007, issue of The New Yorker, in an article that mostly looks at the foreign policy views of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. Bayh says:

"You just hope that we haven't soured an entire generation on the necessity, from time to time, of using force because Iraq has been such a debacle. That would be tragic, because Iran is a grave threat. They're everything we thought Iraq was but wasn't. They are seeking nuclear weapons, they do support terrorists, they have threatened to destroy Israel, and they've threatened us, too....There are those kinds of tough steps that occasionally involve the use of force. Lots of Americans wonder whether we Democrats have that in us."

"My view of Darfur is, we've done nothing but yap. We--as a lot of American families can tell you--we've done a lot more than talk in Iraq. And I think you just reach a place where you have to say, 'We've done our part, and now it's time for them to step up to the plate.' You can't police places forever."

Posted at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some tidbits that have crossed into my sector of the time-space continuum:

• Season 6 of "24," the best TV show ever, got off to a great start, with two hours each on Sunday and Monday nights. The four-hour premier ended last night with a nuclear bomb detonating in Valencia, Calif. Since season 2, they've been playing around with the threat of a nuke going off in a populated area. I told Pam, "This year, they're actually gonna do it." And I was right.
• I actually think the Colts are gonna make it to the Super Bowl this year. And if they get there, they'll win. But this upcoming game against Satan's team, the Patriots, is real iffy.
• In 2005, married couples became a minority of all US households. For the first time, over half of all women (51%) are living without a spouse. That compares to 35% in 1950 and 49% in 2001. I guess these are supposed to be profound stats. I'm sorta ho-hum about them.
• In California, a cell phone ignited in a man's pocket and started a fire that burned his hotel room and caused severe burns over half his body. But they wouldn't release the manufacturer and model of the phone. It's like saying, "There's a popular car whose brakes lock up, but we can't tell you what type of car it is."
• Two more great "Get a Mac" ads are out. I love these ads!
• Supermodel Naomi Campbell pled guity to assaulting her maid by throwing a cell phone at her, opening up a wound on her head that required four staples. Of course it wasn't Naomi's fault. She blamed her temper on lingering resentment toward her father for abandoning her as a child. Poor Naomi initially faced up to seven years in prison, but, being a celebrity ended up with a $363 fine, five days of community service, and an order to attend anger management classes. It's all her dad's fault. Don't you see? She's just an innocent, very skinny victim.

Posted at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday as part of the worship service, we watched 14 minutes of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech from 1963. Since we have two services, I watched it twice. And loved it. An incredible speech! A father and daughter gave some reflections on King--history, quotes, etc. And Pastor Tim talked about issues of racism, injustice, and prejudice.

It was a neat service. I can't imagine many United Brethren churches doing anything like that. We're a traditionally Republican denomination, and while we Republicans are not necessarily racists, we've never been known as civil rights activists, either. We leave that to Democrats.

In the churches of my childhood, if you asked people about Martin Luther King, the typical comment would have been, "He's a Communist," and maybe a reference to J. Edgar Hoover's alleged file on King. Something like that. I didn't grow up in churches with a social conscience. In fact, until now, I would say I've never attended a church with a social conscience. But hey, we sure believe the Bible!

Anyway, hearing King's speech as part of a worship service was, to me, a very cool thing. It was also cool, as part of the prelude, playing Buffalo Springfield's "It's Worth It" (better known by the lines, "There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound, everybody look what's going down"). You wouldn't hear that in many evangelical churches, either. I'm glad it's okay at Anchor.

Posted at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This morning as I sat in a dentist chair, I looked out upon some really big, fancy houses in one of Fort Wayne's upscale developments. I always wonder, "Who lives there? How do they make their money? Lawyer? Doctor? Business executive?"

I used to want a house like that. Now that we could actually afford one, I don't want one. I think that may be a mark of some measure of maturity. Who woulda thunk.

We could make it work, if we really tried (and wanted to). We could tighten belts. We could give away far less money (all God really cares about is 10%, right? So why give more?). Don't worry about staying out of debt. Right now, house and cars are our only debts. We've kept even with credit cards for over ten years now, paying off our balances every month, and it's a great feeling and a stress-releaver. But hey--we could loosen up there, like everybody else.

Houses are seductive. They entice you to get just a little bit more ("That room is so nice, and after all, this is where we spend most of our time. We'll be able to handle the extra cost," you rationalize).

But attending a low-income church has put so many things in perspective, and now Pam and I are often embarrassed by the "extravagance" of our simple ranch-style home with the basement and two-car garage. It's very ordinary, but to many people, it's like one of those homes on the golf course.

So I looked out at those homes from the dentist's chair, and I thanked God for my contentment. Contentment doesn't come easily when you live in Aboite, surrounded by wealth. Or when you live in America, period. But the only discontent I feel is that we're living too high, and I'm glad I feel that way.

Posted at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From a longtime USC fan, a belated final word to Buckeyes everywhere: rah.

Posted at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the saddest things I've heard came from a woman, about ten years ago, who approached me after I returned from visiting our mission work in Asia. This woman, a grandma, said she thought it was neat that I was able to go, and said, "When I was young, I felt God calling me to be a missionary. But, well, I ended up getting married and having kids, and it never happened."

There was a definite tone of regret in her voice. She had lived a good life. But...what might have been? I think that question still plagued her, 40 years later.

Instead of pursuing a glorious calling, she got married and raised good kids, who are now also raising good kids, and I'm sure those kids will grow up and raise good kids. Good, successful, comfortable, respectable, non-risk-taking kids.

Which is better: that our society have all of these good church-going progeny, or that instead this woman, as a scared but obedient young woman, had gone to Africa and perhaps died there a few years later?

Posted at 09:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My favorite writing about church matters is Keith Drury's "Tuesday Column." I always look forward to what he has to say. He tackles all kinds of topics and inevitably imparts a fresh spin.

Today I read his latest, "In Praise of Mediocrity." He writes, "Mediocrity is the average, the median, the ordinary churches, music, talent, and intelligence. In short I want to say a word of praise for you, and me, and most ordinary people like us." He then praises ordinary churches, ordinary marriages, and people with "ordinary" spiritual passion. It's really great stuff.

About churches, he writes:

I think ordinary churches deserve more praise. I’m talking about churches in the big fat center who don’t have thousands of attendees and sprawling TV ministries. They aren’t famous and nobody ever asks their pastor to teach “How I Did It” seminars. But the pastor and people show up every week and worship and study and serve each other and love their community. Good for you!  I wish more of my students wanted to go to ordinary churches.

After nearly 30 years working for my denomination and being around churchmen from the broader Christian community, I've seen up-close the disdain directed at small churches, especially the little white church on a country road that has never had more than 80 people. Many times over the years, I've heard sentiments like this: "We need to just close a bunch of our little going-nowhere churches and cut our losses." Yes, I've heard that many times over the years.

I disagree with that view (and, I'm afraid, I'm typecast as an apologist for mediocrity). Churches go through ups and downs. I've seen superstar churches crash and burn, tiny churches come alive under the right leadership, and all manner of churches enter a period of funk. But usually, there's still a community of believers and a foothold in that neighborhood, and God still does things there, regardless of how we in Mecca view them. Today's superstar church might be tomorrow's goat, and vice versa. You can't write off (or deify) a church based on what you see today, because God's purposes tend to take a long view.

Not that every church should survive or be kept on life support; some are so dysfunctional that they should be closed, because they only bring disgrace to the cross of Christ. But if there is a community of believers, regardless of size, I see God in their midst and think they deserve some respect. But in a culture that worships the megachurch, I'm in the minority on that.

Posted at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Connor and I watched an entire football game this afternoon--the (hated) New England Patriots beating the NY Jets. Mostly, he slept, occasionally waking or flailing his arms at some dreamed-up rabbit or whatever he envisions while he sleeps. But he'd always go right back to sleep. And, considering this photo that Pam snapped without my knowledge, I guess I didn't exactly see the entire game, either.

Posted at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning I went to the Fort Wayne Gun & Knife show at the coliseum. I collect knives and bayonets. The G&K show comes around every three months, but I've only gone twice--once in January 2005, and now today. My nephew, Benjamin, was going to come with me (he also collects knives), but ended up having to work. So I went alone.

I parked my truck amidst a forest of macho pickups and SUVs and headed toward the entrance behind a fellow wearing a camoflauge jacket and carrying a big rifle on a strap over his shoulder. Context is everything. I imagined if we were headed toward the entrance of a school. Or an airport.

I looked at a lot of the guns and thought, "It's legal to buy that?" Perhaps some full-auto features are disabled, I don't know. The place was a Jack Bauer paradise. It gave me some comfort knowing that if the US were invaded, lots of my neighbors are very heavily armed. Maybe I could borrow somebody's AK-47 or set-up their 30-calibre machine gun on my rooftop amidst sandbags.

Posted at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pam and I saw two movies over the holidays at the theater, and rented two more.

• Casino Royale. Most people I talk to liked the new James Bond movie. So did we. It was definitely a different Bond, and a much more ruthless one (where Roger Moore would have snuck up on a guy and given him a karate chop to knock him out, Daniel Craig just shoots him in the neck). This movie had no great, dasturdly, world-threatening plot (and those do get kind of silly sometimes), just a suspenseful action movie. I look forward to seeing the next Bond movie with Daniel Craig.
• Apocalypto. I really liked Mel Gibson's latest film. The buzz said it was extremely gory. True, though perhaps not as bloody as I was expecting, considering all of the hype. Or I'm just numb to it. Anyway, it was a fun ride.
• Talledaga Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. This Will Farrell flick about a Nascar driver was merely okay. It had its funny moments, but I wouldn't bother seeing it again. We rented this one, of course
• March of the Penguins. Finally found out what all the fuss was about. Rented it, learned a lot about penguins, a subject which has been on my Must Learn About list.

Posted at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Speaking in Paris in 1910, Teddy Rooselvelt said:

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

I admire risk-takers. Church planters are that way. I've seen many ministers leave a sure thing--a church that's doing well, where they are liked, and where they have some visibility which provides opportunities for denominational leadership. In some cases, they might have been in line for an even more cushy, high-profile church. But instead, they venture out to start a brand new church...and for whatever reason, it never develops. I think of Dan, Bob, Brooks, Mark, Anthony, Lee, and various others. When the plug is finally pulled, there are always a variety of explanations. But you'll usually hear in the mix, "I guess he just doesn't have what it takes." Maybe. But not necessarily.

Likewise with people who enter missionary service. I've seen people go overseas with great hope and vision, and for whatever reason, return before their hopes and visions can be realized. And, "I guess they just weren't cut out for missionary service." Maybe. But not necessarily.

And unfortunately, we tend not to give someone a second chance. We just conclude, "He doesn't have it." And sadly, too many of these people end up leaving the ministry, or at least leaving our denomination. They perhaps seek a fresh start somewhere far from the "failure" tag. If they do stay in our fellowship, we just never bring up their past failure...even though, in their eyes, it may have been their greatest-ever step of faith.

People like me--and I can't pretend to have ever risked greatly--can too easily pass judgment from our secure positions of respect. We observe the situation and draw simplistic conclusions about why another person's dream, that they poured prayer and sweat and endless hours into, went bust.

I believe it's wrong, absolutely wrong, to focus on the "failure" angle. Even if the person was mismatched or unprepared for the role, I still see someone who risked. He tried something difficult and stretching and perhaps dangerous. In a society that worships comfort and convenience, I honor those people among us who, as Roosevelt said, "if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly."

Posted at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wow, am I ever glad I stayed up to see the end of the Fiesta Bowl! How could you not cheer for an underdog from Idaho of all places, unless you are from, uh, Oklahoma. I've always hated Oklahoma, going back to their great rivalry with Nebraska in the 1970s (Nebraska was the Good Guys, especially when they had Johnny Rogers).

You also have to like Boise State because they have a blue field. Yes, blue. They're just downright interesting.

That Fiesta Bowl is among the best games I've ever seen. When Boise threw that interception with a minute left, and it was run in for a touchdown, I thought, "Well, they played their hearts out. It was a great season for them." But with a minute left, they came back with that hook & ladder play, executed to perfection, to tie it up. And then the similarly perfect Statue of Liberty play to win the game.

And then the guy who ran it in immediately proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend. He had the ring in his room, but got caught up in the moment and proposed on the field. For the rest of his life, when he's with friends and they're swapping "How'd you propose?" stories, he'll win hands-down.

Perfect in every way.

Posted at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last night, New Year's Eve, Pam and I volunteered to watch Connor while Allen and Carolyn used movie passes to go see "Eragon" at the Rave Cinemas. They said it was very good, BTW.

Pam and I were, of course, taking a risk, at least for us. Watching a baby for several hours is not only out of our comfort zone, it's out of our time zone. Fortunately, Connor just slept and slept for the longest time, peaceful and serene. It was easy. Molly laid down on the floor with him, next to his blanket. It was very cute.

Then he woke up. And the crying started. Crying escalated to bellowing, then nigh unto screaming. I can write books, design websites, play piano by ear. Figure out how to get a baby to stop crying? With that, I'm clueless. I walked him around, did the bob-and-weave thing, tried the rocking chair (which Carolyn expressly recommended before leaving), and talked nonsense. Nothing worked.

Perhaps his diaper needed changing? We laid him on a mat and checked, and...my goodness, that was disgusting. (Green? How'd it get green? What kind of world is this?) Pam wiped him off and attached a new diaper, and he seemed to approve.

For a few minutes. Then the crying / bellowing / screaming started again. More bob-and-weave, all in vain. The decibel level increased. And though he had been fed a bottle just two hours before, we could think of no other options. So Pam made him a bottle, with 50 seconds in the microwave.

Glory be to the Magic Bottle! It settled him right down. He approved. Hallelujah! Amazing things happened. Peace descended. The planets realigned. Lions romped with lambs. Shiites and Sunnis danced together in the streets. George Bush read a book.

And then Carolyn and Allen promptly returned, which is probably what Connor wanted all along. Not to be stuck with these two strange Not-Mommy-and-Daddy types.

Such was our little New Year's Eve adventure. Pam and I, without actual baby-having experience, survived the evening and used our wits to prevail over the cataclysmic crises Connor was experiencing deep in his soul. We did it. Jolly good show!

Posted at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)