A suggestion from Diana Butler Bass at Progressive Revival:
We are a fragile lot, we humans, and our history is roiled with fear–and the stupid things that we humans do when we are afraid. And sadly, enough, they are probably the words of many of humanity’s tomorrows. Apocalyptic theology does not augur escape; rather, it provides a profoundly realistic view of history–a view that should plunge us more deeply into the shalom of God-in-the-world.
Jesus says, “When you see these things, do not cower in fear, for your transformation is drawing near.” Advent teaches us that in the darkest places of human oppression, the pain of hunger, and political distress that God’s reign is among us. “Do not be caught off-guard by the fear-filled tides of history,” Jesus warned. “But be mindful, praying for strength, that you may escape the fears that roil the earth, and may stand with God” (Luke 21:36).
This Advent, hold these three practices: Be mindful. Pray. Stand. And do not be afraid.
IF you are a little indiscreet when discussing your Christmas shopping plans on the phone with a friend;
AND your child is (a) nosy, (b) superb at deductive reasoning, and (c) able to use the Internet to his advantage;
THEN you should not be surprised when your child has figured out what he’s getting for Christmas before it’s even acquired.
An unsuspecting customer pulls up to the drive-through window. But instead of a store clerk, up pops two paws, deep brown eyes and the tongue-flapping grin of a happy chocolate Labrador retriever named Cody.
Meredith, you in?
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.
EDITED TO ADD: Lovely acoustic guitar rendering of this hymn, via Crooks and Liars.
Which, sadly, is not a totally uncommon experience.
My daughter is considering joining a new softball league, and we had our first meeting/practice today. Five minutes after the meeting started, one of the dads (who may also be the assistant coach?) threw a closed-cell-foam practice softball at one of the girls. She was not looking at him originally, but she turned her head as the ball approached, and it hit her right in the eye with an audible smack.
I was looking at the girl when she was hit, and what I saw was shock, surprise, and perhaps a little bit of distress — closely mirroring my own feelings. I was not looking at the dad, so I cannot judge what he was up to. (If that even matters.) I waited for the coach or someone, anyone, to say something while I corralled my composure — but nothing was said, until several minutes later when the coach said playfully “And no balls from the audience!”
This struck me as such an inadequate response to the situation that I had to leave and go sit in my car for awhile to recover. How is it OK for an adult/coach to throw a ball at a girl who is not expecting it — especially at her head, especially at her eye? How is this not considered wildly inappropriate by the other parents and the coach? Did no one but me see how, by remaining silent, I and the other parents and coach are basically telling the girls that it is OK for adults to hit them? And does that seem like gateway abuse to anyone but me?
PoochSpouse, whose unenviable job it is to talk me down after I’ve lost my composure in such situations, tried to frame the action as “acceptable within the context of competitive sports.” And the coach’s wife, who came out to talk to me later, tried to reassure me of how nice the thrower is, what a great dad, and how he’s known the girl for years and they have a teasing-type relationship.
All this, I am sorry to say, cuts very little ice with me. But it’s plain that everyone else thinks I am over-reacting. So, please tell me: if you had witnessed such an event, what would you have done or said?
This is what guts looks like:
As she pulled up to the [processing] center [on Ft. Hood Army Base], the officer, Kimberly Munley, spotted the gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, brandishing a pistol and chasing a wounded soldier outside the building, said Chuck Medley, the director of emergency services at the base.
Sergeant Munley bolted from her car and shot at Major Hasan. He turned toward her and began to fire. She ran toward him, continuing to fire, and both she and the gunmen went down with several bullet wounds, Mr. Medley said.
[...]
Sergeant Munley, who is 34, is an expert in firearms and a member of the SWAT team for the civilian police department on the base, officials said.
She received two wounds in each thigh and one to her right wrist. The base’s fire chief applied torniquets to stop her bleeding, and she was taken to a hospital that the officials did not identify, where she was reported in stable condition on Friday.
Via Think Progress:
Thousands of protesters came to Capitol Hill yesterday for Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) protest against health care reform, capping months of fear-mongering about the dangers of so-called “socialized” medicine. However, the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank notes that at one point, one of the protesters had a heart attack. Luckily, federally-employed medical personnel were able to quickly attend to him …
[...]
By the end of the day, “medics had administered government-run health care to at least five people in the crowd who were stricken as they denounced government-run health care.”
So, OK, let’s say that you have encountered someone who, for some reason, just acts on you like sand on a scrape. Everything they say and do is almost unbearably annoying, even when you are trying really really hard to cooperate and be a good sport. Is there any hope for this situation, or should you just give up, drop out, and stay away?
Can you tell, from the first three paragraphs of this Associated Press story, what it is supposed to be about?
Women faced their share of trouble at the Tower of London, including three queens who were beheaded there.
But treachery has long been considered a thing of the past at the notorious 11th century fortress. At least until now.
If charges made Monday are true, the Tower — a popular tourist attraction and home to Britain’s Crown Jewels — will add bullying to the list of foul deeds committed there. The victim: the first woman selected to join the all-male ranks of the Tower’s yeoman warders, popularly known as “Beefeaters.”
And, if you read the rest of the story: does the article get any better? Discuss.
