Always Reforming

  A few thoughts on the Halftime show: I live in Canton, OH, about five minutes from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. NE Ohio practically invented professional football as we know it, so it's still like a religion around here (how else can you explain such loyalty to the Browns?). It was the blue-collar American man's game. It was a game of skill, strength, and endurance--everything that built this country, especially the Midwest. Over time this game we love became a product. Ironically, it once again epitomized the American spirit--we can make anything about money. It eventually overtook baseball as America's favorite pastime. Even yet, it was still a uniquely American game. After all, other countries still refer to it as "American football." America has a lot of money, but not as much money as the entire world, so it was inevitable that the NFL would begin to push to create an international fanbase. It started with games being held in London, Germany, M...

The Internet has never been so partisan.  Immigration, ICE, Greenland--everyone parrots their tribal taglines.  If you do not loudly and proudly proclaim your position, you are a bad person and should feel bad about yourself.  You will certainly be on the wrong side of history! Alas, I have found great freedom in remembering that I do not, in fact, have to voice my opinion on every matter.  I do not have to endorse or decry politicians, government entities, and/or ethnic groups every time some conflagration occurs.  I don't have to pick sides, solve social ills, or litigate uses of force.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am responsible to love my neighbor, to pray for my leaders and fellow-citizens, and to do what good I can in the world.  I am not responsible to declare my position on every issue, every tragedy, every outrage.  I will not be judged by whether or not I had every issue figured out.  I will be judged by whether or not I loved ...

Sisyphus, What kind of trick is this? Always walking uphill, Always winding the clock, Always wondering  If? When? You call this formation, But it feels like punishment, For wasted years and  Wayward thoughts. Does it ever end? The struggle, the ardor, The self-doubt and  Self-surrender? Weary, I wander, Is it giving up Or reading the signs? I'm beginning to think  No one ever arrives, We merely do our best To survive Until we die. Won't you put me out of my Misery? Cut off my head And set me free? Do you do well to be angry? I'm not looking for Redemption, Just purpose, and Resolution.

Some of these people aren't here anymore. This picture was taken somewhere around the end of '90.  I, the cute, little guy in the blue suit on Grandma's lap, was born on 12/13/89 (the same day as Taylor Swift, mind you), and I figure I'm closing in on a year here. First we lost Mom.  Then Grandpa.  Then Grandma.  Then Dad. I had never noticed that Dad is wearing his clerical collar in this picture.  I guess he was ordained earlier than I thought.  I guess I don't actually know when he was ordained... As I study this picture, it occurs to me that we don't lose loved ones only to death. We also lose them to divorce...and marriage...and distance...and apathy...and the busyness of life.  Sometimes we lose them to the pain we were never able to confront. Time moves on.  The world changes.  The life you knew, which probably wasn't what you thought it was anyway, changes.  There's no way it can't.   The Universe simply won't allow it....

This was originally written in 2018 after the untimely death of Scott Hutchinson, the lead singer of Frightened Rabbit. Why am I thinking in Scottish? Somehow it aids in expressing All these depressing  Thoughts. Everybody dies And Everybody knows it, But  Everybody forgets It Every now and then. Because we have to. It's just another wound, It's just another wound, From the cradle to the womb, Another gone too soon, It's just another wound, It's just another wound, To the graveyard from the womb, They're always gone too soon.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Forgiveness is hard.  Forgiveness is really, really hard. It’s difficult to forgive others who have genuinely harmed or offended us.   It’s easy to say , “I forgive you,” but it’s extremely difficult to feel it–to make peace in our hearts with the injustices that others have perpetrated against us. It just doesn’t feel right.  Sin should be punished!  Wrongs should be righted!  Right?! It’s difficult to forgive others when they ask for it.  It’s even more difficult to forgive them when they haven’t asked for it–when they don’t even recognize what they’ve done to hurt us. As our Savior hung upon His Cross, He asked the Father to forgive those nearby–those who were unwittingly contributing to the greatest injustice in the history of the world. These thieves, soldiers, and standers-by had no idea what was happening.  They had no idea that the jealousy of the Jews had placed Christ on that Cross...