It's 9:51 on election night. I'm not going to stay and watch the bitter end - I'm rather certain that Obama will win the presidency. I feel rather similar to how I felt when Clinton won the first time. Sad - sad for the country.
I would love for a good, qualified black candidate to be in the White House. I think many white Americans feel the same way - especially Americans in my generation. I call this the "feel good factor." It would make me feel REALLY good to vote for a black candidate; Adam said he felt that way when he (was REALLY young and) voted for Jesse Jackson. He didn't think much of ideology, but the race issue, and the guilty-white-person issue were so strong, that he soothed his soul and his conscience by voting for a black man.
But I won't vote for a man because of the color of his skin; if the whole civil rights movement taught me anything it was that - don't judge a man by his skin. I look at Obama and I see a liberal, a very thorough liberal. A man who aggressively supports abortion. A man with an agenda to move our country toward socialism in its health care system, in its international policies, in its taxation practices. I look at Obama and I see a man with little political experience. Even though he will likely be surrounded by a Democratic house for a couple of years, he will face huge challenges. He will not be able to keep his promises, anymore than other presidents have. His promises of change will largely go unfulfilled.
I look at Obama and I see a man whom crowds support because they desperately want someone to believe in. He has become that man. I'm afraid it is a false hope - a bubble waiting to burst. Americans can be temporary romantics, but after the honeymoon period, they will want practical change. The presidency simply isn't designed to produce that kind of thing. I heard one deranged woman interviewed on TV right after an Obama speech. She actually said that she would not have to worry about her mortgage any more, or about filling her gas tank. Obama would take care of it all for her.
I am not a McCain fan either. This was an election in which neither candidate appealed to me. If anyone had told conservatives 2 years ago that John McCain would be their BIG HOPE, they would have groaned. The man is a centrist. And the Republican party has not done well lately. Bush had 8 years of uphill challenges and many failures: some self-imposed, some not.
But the Republican party could hardly have done a worse job. If they had designed a situation in which to hand the presidency to a Democrat on a silver platter, they could not have done it better. An unpopular war. Huge expenses. Poor communication with the country (as usual). An unpopular incumbent. A dead-pan GOP candidate who has never appealed to their base. And then a financial meltdown at absolutely the worst possible moment.
So, when Obama wins in a landslide, it would be well for both sides to remember that he didn't have much of a challenge to overcome. The Republican opponent was a house that had already fallen from within. And if Obama's candidacy seems like a golden, surreal experience, remember that every light looks bright in such a dark place.
Bed time. It may be a long 4 years, but Rush Limbaugh will be busy again. And I imagine (although I may be wrong) that Republicans will make a comeback in a couple of years in the House/Senate. This nation does not like to give free-rein to any party for very long. It's dangerous.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Today:
Finishing Chaucer's Canterbury Prologue with my seniors. Examining Chaucer's attitude toward the church.
Doing more vocabulary and reading comp work with my juniors. This is a weakness for students today. And they think the reason they need to improve is so that they will test better on SATs, etc. Oh dear! What is the world coming to? I reminded them that tests are merely assessment tools for their superiors to use. The reason they should improve in these areas is so that they will be better readers and writers.
Met with colleagues and a struggling student to reassure him that we are working with him.
Stopped by Salvation Army on the way home. A thin, old wool blanket I bought on Saturday had a matching one that I did not buy. I liked the first blanket so much over the weekend that I returned to buy its mate. The old wool blankets are so superior to modern synthetics.
Now we sit in the living room, a chill in the air, a fire in the fireplace. I need to grade essays. I need to read a unit introduction about Realism and Naturalism. I need to revise a test for this week.
I need to watch the fire.
Doing more vocabulary and reading comp work with my juniors. This is a weakness for students today. And they think the reason they need to improve is so that they will test better on SATs, etc. Oh dear! What is the world coming to? I reminded them that tests are merely assessment tools for their superiors to use. The reason they should improve in these areas is so that they will be better readers and writers.
Met with colleagues and a struggling student to reassure him that we are working with him.
Stopped by Salvation Army on the way home. A thin, old wool blanket I bought on Saturday had a matching one that I did not buy. I liked the first blanket so much over the weekend that I returned to buy its mate. The old wool blankets are so superior to modern synthetics.
Now we sit in the living room, a chill in the air, a fire in the fireplace. I need to grade essays. I need to read a unit introduction about Realism and Naturalism. I need to revise a test for this week.
I need to watch the fire.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Real Life, Real Grace
That was the title of Adam's sermon this morning. Now, if you don't want to hear about sermons, this would be the time to click a button somewhere on your computer :)
When Adam speaks about grace, he speaks from his heart. There's an erroneous notion out there, that defines grace as the absence of discipline, the absence of punishment, the absence of consequences. We see this at school, often. A students breaks an important rule. Some assert that he needs to feel the consequences of that act. Others are shocked; "We must give him grace," they argue. They cannot conceive of GRACE as anything other than a hug, and "let's just forget all about it."
Adam talked about Peter. Peter, whom Jesus told that he was about to hand over to Satan, so that Satan could "sift him like wheat" -- i.e. put him through the temptation ringer and see what his faith was made of. A similar sifting happened to Job. Jesus doesn't tell Peter, "But I won't let Satan do that to you!" No, Jesus tells Peter that he will go through it. And the only help he offers Peter? To pray for him. (That, BTW, is pretty good help, from Jesus.) He also tells Peter that he will repent of his failure, and that when he does, the purpose of the whole situation will be evident: Peter will be in a position to edify his Christian brothers.
Is this grace, from Jesus? You bet.
Peter's failure is painful to see. He denies Christ 3 times, and the 3rd time, Jesus's and Peter's eyes meet as Peter is doing it. He agonizes over his failure of faith. He is humiliated, especially after his arrogant assertions of faithfulness to his Lord. Forgive and forget? Is that grace? God does forgive. But forget? Peter's failure is recorded in Scripture for all to read...for 2000 years (and counting).
Is that grace? Yes.
Later, Jesus approaches Peter, after this horrible event. Does he put his arm around him and say, "Hey guy. No big deal. Let's just forget about the whole thing." Hardly. Jesus asks that biting, digging question: "Do you love me." After denying me, do you love me? After deserting me, do you love me? Jesus almost seems to rub Peter's nose in it, but all for Peter's good. He asks his question 3 times, one for each denial. What a painful reminder! Scripture even notes that Peter winced as Jesus asked it the third time.
Was that grace? Indeed, it was exactly grace.
This is the grace we get in real life. Pain, loss, failure, agony, fear. Sometimes it is our own sin; sometimes trial comes unbidden. We need real grace, tough grace, for real, tough life. Jesus's grace to Peter was grace that made a man of him, enabled him to live a stronger life after Jesus's departure. Jesus's grace did not leave Peter, content in his sin. It demanded he renounce his sin, and use his sin -- and Jesus's grace -- to edify others.
Our painful trials are only of value if they can be redeemed. Only God can redeem; that's his job. He is into metamorphosis. Our failures can be resurrected from the stink of death and used to encourage others, who later go through trials of their own.
When Adam stands and preaches these things, he's speaking from his own experience, and people listening know it. That's power - that's grace. I don't think Adam would trade any trial he's experienced, if it meant losing that grace. That kind of grace is God's insignia, his handprint of ownership, on one's person. It is a most precious possession.
When Adam speaks about grace, he speaks from his heart. There's an erroneous notion out there, that defines grace as the absence of discipline, the absence of punishment, the absence of consequences. We see this at school, often. A students breaks an important rule. Some assert that he needs to feel the consequences of that act. Others are shocked; "We must give him grace," they argue. They cannot conceive of GRACE as anything other than a hug, and "let's just forget all about it."
Adam talked about Peter. Peter, whom Jesus told that he was about to hand over to Satan, so that Satan could "sift him like wheat" -- i.e. put him through the temptation ringer and see what his faith was made of. A similar sifting happened to Job. Jesus doesn't tell Peter, "But I won't let Satan do that to you!" No, Jesus tells Peter that he will go through it. And the only help he offers Peter? To pray for him. (That, BTW, is pretty good help, from Jesus.) He also tells Peter that he will repent of his failure, and that when he does, the purpose of the whole situation will be evident: Peter will be in a position to edify his Christian brothers.
Is this grace, from Jesus? You bet.
Peter's failure is painful to see. He denies Christ 3 times, and the 3rd time, Jesus's and Peter's eyes meet as Peter is doing it. He agonizes over his failure of faith. He is humiliated, especially after his arrogant assertions of faithfulness to his Lord. Forgive and forget? Is that grace? God does forgive. But forget? Peter's failure is recorded in Scripture for all to read...for 2000 years (and counting).
Is that grace? Yes.
Later, Jesus approaches Peter, after this horrible event. Does he put his arm around him and say, "Hey guy. No big deal. Let's just forget about the whole thing." Hardly. Jesus asks that biting, digging question: "Do you love me." After denying me, do you love me? After deserting me, do you love me? Jesus almost seems to rub Peter's nose in it, but all for Peter's good. He asks his question 3 times, one for each denial. What a painful reminder! Scripture even notes that Peter winced as Jesus asked it the third time.
Was that grace? Indeed, it was exactly grace.
This is the grace we get in real life. Pain, loss, failure, agony, fear. Sometimes it is our own sin; sometimes trial comes unbidden. We need real grace, tough grace, for real, tough life. Jesus's grace to Peter was grace that made a man of him, enabled him to live a stronger life after Jesus's departure. Jesus's grace did not leave Peter, content in his sin. It demanded he renounce his sin, and use his sin -- and Jesus's grace -- to edify others.
Our painful trials are only of value if they can be redeemed. Only God can redeem; that's his job. He is into metamorphosis. Our failures can be resurrected from the stink of death and used to encourage others, who later go through trials of their own.
When Adam stands and preaches these things, he's speaking from his own experience, and people listening know it. That's power - that's grace. I don't think Adam would trade any trial he's experienced, if it meant losing that grace. That kind of grace is God's insignia, his handprint of ownership, on one's person. It is a most precious possession.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
That's not all he did...
He also mulched up the leaves in the front yard and put them into our beds (flower beds, that is). Needless to say, he's little stiff in the joints after all that!
We have no striking fall color in our yard, but our dogwood trees are a lovely purple rust.
Mulched beds. He's all excited about mulch.
Peter and Julia played a little soccer.
We have no striking fall color in our yard, but our dogwood trees are a lovely purple rust.
Mulched beds. He's all excited about mulch.
Peter and Julia played a little soccer.
The oven door
Hmm. Okay, so for some reason, my pictures are being uploaded here in backwards order. I'll just have to put my thoughts in reverse:
Here is the lovely wood we'll be burning tonight in our firepit. It came from the HUGE, WHOPPING BIG log that Adam has had sitting in the yard for weeks, intending to cut it into his oven door.
And here is the oven door, so far. He split the huge log, got his sections generally square, and planed the door a bit. He's attached it to the oven with these big hinges. Later, he will curve the top of the door, and plane it some more, so it will be more flush. Don't want any of that precious heat to escape!
After the wood splitting.
He was able to get 2 doors out of the log, actually. This is the "spare." He'll keep it until the first one bites the dust. Good, old oak. Each of these door sections weighs about 35-40 lbs., he says.
Here is the lovely wood we'll be burning tonight in our firepit. It came from the HUGE, WHOPPING BIG log that Adam has had sitting in the yard for weeks, intending to cut it into his oven door.
And here is the oven door, so far. He split the huge log, got his sections generally square, and planed the door a bit. He's attached it to the oven with these big hinges. Later, he will curve the top of the door, and plane it some more, so it will be more flush. Don't want any of that precious heat to escape!
After the wood splitting.
He was able to get 2 doors out of the log, actually. This is the "spare." He'll keep it until the first one bites the dust. Good, old oak. Each of these door sections weighs about 35-40 lbs., he says.
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