thankful at easter
This Easter, we should be thankful for God's provision. Whether "rich" or "poor," all who ask in the Lord's name have their needs fulfilled. The greatest testament to this is a personal one, and I have found this to be true of smaller things (like passing a trying exam) as well as larger ones (like salvation, the purpose of Easter). It can be incredibly difficult to imagine that we are "in good hands," as Allstate would have it, but the proof is often evident. So let's try to enjoy the spring and all of the blessings we've received, instead of fearing for the future. As Jon Foreman points out in his song "Your Love Is Strong":
So why should I worry? Why do I freak out? God knows what I need...You know what I need.
a new day for mlk
Martin Luther King, Jr. can sleep easy now, knowing his dream has come to fruition.
spirit of the season
Maybe it's a product of age, but the seasons seem to fly by, and the memories that seem requisite for the holidays to feel "complete" are more difficult to conjure up. But with or without such feelings, Christmas is about more than ourselves; the right mindset should follow an honest reflection on what God has done for all mankind.
Merry Christmas. Here's hoping your days are filled with joy, and figgy pudding. Lots of figgy pudding.
saving the planet
I hope everyone remembered that crying fake Indian this Earth Day:
You know what I do to reduce my carbon footprint, especially now that the government wants to regulate how much air we can exhale? I've trained my body to just keep all my CO2 as carbonic acid and I spit it out that way, with no small effort. Let's see what the EPA has to say about that.
easter sunday
Again, let us be thankful for what was done for us...
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
patriotism, etc.
The founder of a U.S. Muslim television network has been arrested and charged with murdering his wife by beheading her, the network's Web site and local media reported.
Muzzammil Hassan, founder and CEO of Buffalo, N.Y.-based Bridges TV which launched in 2004 with a mission to show Muslims in a more positive light, was charged after reporting the death of his wife, Aasiya Hassan, 37, on Thursday night.
If it wasn't so terrible and tragic, it might make you laugh (a little bit). What makes it even worse is that the murder and subsequent arrest were reported on his network, generating him some revenue and publicity. Incredible.
Anyway, it was Presidents' Day today, but no one cared because some institutions of higher learning don't feel obligated to recognize federal holidays. I'm sure Martin Van Buren would be rolling over in his grave if he could know that he's not getting the respect he deserves on the one day devoted to him and his ilk. To be fair, I didn't do my part - I shaved, rather than flaunting a full beard in memory of some of our best presidents, and I went to class instead of doing the patriotic thing and peaceably assembling with my arms in hand.
because today is almost over
Abraham Lincoln once said that 'if you're a racist, I will attack you with the North.'
- Michael Scott
So after three years of (borderline offensive) Martin Luther King Jr. tributes, I'm going to come out and admit that I have no idea what the government expects us to do on this day. I suppose it's no different than any other national holiday dedicated to a single individual (and the impact of that individual on society), but it still leaves me reaching. For example, on Columbus Day I always take a short cruise and donate to my favorite Native American charity, and on Christmas Day I celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world by praising God and whatnot.
Today, all I've been able to muster is my third attempt at dual-booting Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux. It's baffling that Microsoft will not allow an OEM product key to function with a version of Windows installed from a retail disc, or vice versa. Now I have to circumvent Windows activation because it thinks I'm a criminal, when I have a perfectly valid product key it won't accept (of course, it took me three burned boot discs before I figured out this was the case). And I must be losing my technical touch, because these partitions have been extremely difficult to work with (using both Ubuntu's partition editor and Microsoft's).
No matter...it's a joyous day. It lets us forget our troubles, embrace cultural diversity, and remember what makes America great: admitting our past mistakes by doling out commemorative holidays.
belated thanksgiving
Instead of just giving thanks this Thanksgiving, we should remember the plight of the Native Americans we displaced. We came in giant vessels, battling pirates, scurvy, and dementia. As we neared the shores of the New World, Indians scampered along the coastline observing our billowy sails. They took time out from their routines of cliff diving, corn picking, and war-making so that they could cautiously watch us.
Our camps were constructed hastily, often to a hearty tune, and we instantly set out in search of gold - sometimes digging in the very ground where we first set foot. We unabashedly pursued the precious metal before stocking our own food stores. Our tamed animals clashed with those of the strange land, but theirs would not be the harshest conflicts to come.
It was not long before both groups of people would meet; first came random rendezvous between individuals, and friendships blossomed. But these exchanges were frowned upon by respective societies, even if encouraged by willows and other natural beings. Eventually, a single tragic mistake - the taking of the life of a young warrior by a timid settler protecting his ally - led to disasterous consequences.
We took turn threatening each others' lives until our finest pilgrim was set free, and that's where the story of our founding ends. The harsh winters that were to follow are of little significance, as is the fate that eventually befell Pocahontas. You did know we were discussing Pocahontas, right?
Perhaps if I had included a few more musical numbers, the story would have been more drawn-out and fulfilling. Perhaps not.
(This is post #800....hooray!)