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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Fail Safe

    Addison made me watch Fail Safe last night. Not a bad movie -- definitely a Cold War classic -- but it was a little too art nouveau for me. Reminded me of Citizen Kane; a great movie spoiled by cinematic feel (at least, in my personal, I-know-you-didn't-ask opinion).
    Things around here are crazy as ever... but hopefully we'll find some resolution on one of those fronts by Monday. For the time being, however, it looks like we're stuck in Texas through July -- at least.
    I'm stuck, too; once again my Muse has left me. I guess I just have too many other things on my mind to really think about writing anything. I've tried poking and prodding her, but it just makes both of us more and more frustrated. So I've focused on the studying and will leave the dissemination to future events.
    On the plus side, procrastination is a good excuse to do some spring cleaning; my closet looks better than it did when we first moved in.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Judge not, lest ye be pwned

    I was somewhat dismayed (though not at all surprised) that the biggest reaction from yesterday's post was against the idea of Godly judgment and discernment. I've talked about judgment in the past, and this is something I think we, as the American church, have HUGELY lost sight of. We're more worried about judging others than we are about God's judgment coming down on us, and this more than anything else has condemned many souls to Hell.
    Now, when we talk about judgment, we're actually talking about two different things: Judgment of actions, and judgment of the mind (faith, belief, thought, etc). And the Bible makes this plain when Jesus tells us over and over "Ye shall know them by their fruit, ye shall know them by their fruit, by their fruit you will recognize them." See, when Jewish rhetoricians wanted to emphasize something, they would repeat it, and here Jesus is repeating it over and over again, right after the oft-repeated "Judge not" verse. Clearly He intended for these to be two separate and related thoughts.
    It always gets me that, when we repeat Matt 7:1-3, we always seem to stop right after 1 -- and ignore that 2 is a continuation of the same thought. I'll never forgive whatever translator put a period, rather than a semicolon, after verse 1, because 2-5 clearly expound on verse one: In the same way you judge, so shall you be judged. FIRST remove the log from your eye, yes -- but then, that having been done, THEN remove the spec from your brother's eye. It's all a continuous, singular thought. Christ isn't saying "Walk around with your eyes closed and never, ever pass judgment on anyone, for any reason at any time over anything." What He's saying, and saying quite clearly, is the way in which we are to judge: First get your own ducks in a row. Then judge with Godly discernment (or else you will not be judged with Godly discernment). Then you will be in the proper place to help your brother.
    I don't know about all of you, but I have been DESPERATE for a church that will acknowledge the difference between proper and improper judgment. I have been DESPERATE for a church body that will hold each other accountable, and will encourage one another to live by Godly precepts and practices. Instead we pat each other on the back and ignore their sins because, hey, we're all down in the mud together, what's the big deal if we're all a little dirty? Yet 1 Corinthians 5 says to EXPEL the immoral brother who will not repent from among us. How do we know morality from immorality but that we judge it so? "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?"
    When I judge, I do so out of love, but also out of selfishness, because if I judge others by God's precepts I would hope they would judge me by them, too. I want my brothers and sisters in Christ to love me enough to want to spare me from the wrath of God that I would surely incur if I did not change. I want them to see my sin as their own sin and to be merciful and compassionate enough to set me back on the right path when I've gone astray. We have this idea that judgment is wholly bad and wrong and unjust, but it is so much crueler to see a brother go astray and stay silent out of fear of being "judgmental." Is our church one of cowards or of Christ's representatives?

Thursday, May 08, 2008

What it is to be a Christian

    Sorry for the absence; I've been taking a buttload of CLEPs lately, trying to earn that college credit so that, should I actually get around to enlisting, I can get that all-important extra rank. Mmm, rank.
    But during my breaks from studying and generally being a poor housewife (sorry, Addison!), I've been thinking a lot about a number of different things; namely, just how we, a nation founded on and in Christianity, could have created a religion unto ourselves so far removed from what the Bible actually says about it.
    First, watch this video (if you haven't already):

Monday, May 05, 2008

Weee.

Sorry guys, busy times going on -- will update soon!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Horton Hears a Home Schooler

    It's no secret that I was home schooled -- a fact which, I hope, comes out in my writing and demonstrates my parents' incredible gift for teaching. I'm not only very happy to have been home schooled, but proud of my parents for having made the choice to do so in a society that says that home schoolers are, at the very best of times, secluded social rejects with no capacity to function in the "real world." Their four children prove the lie in that.
    This is why, when I saw Horton Hears a Who (referred to hereafter as "HHAW"), the character who most struck a nerve with me was Kangaroo -- the narrow-minded antagonist (brilliantly voiced by Carol Burnett, whom I happen to adore) who tells Horton, "If you can't see it, hear it, or touch it, it doesn't exist." In her introduction into the movie, she snootily scoffs at Horton's unorthodox teaching style by sniffing, "This is why my Rudy is 'pouch-schooled'." Cute terminology, but is it really a wise move to send the message to children that home schoolers, and home schooling parents, are like this? Kangaroo goes on to hunt Horton down -- and even considers selling her "precious" Rudy to a hit-man to kill Horton. Her sole purpose in life is to rule the jungle and control the lives of all therein -- and this, we are led to believe, is why she refuses to allow her child to attend "jungle school." Hardly a worthy representative of home schooling mothers everywhere.
   I tried to rationalize it by simply assuming, "Well, it's either this stereotype, or the religious stereotype; they're just picking the one that fits the plot." But I can't help but think that, at a time when home schooling is gaining popularity so quickly, and when the public school system is fighting against it so hard, this isn't the right message to send to children. Home schoolers are not lepers. Why even add the element of home schooling to the plot at all, except to represent Joey as a sheltered ignoramus desperate to get away from his over-bearing mother -- as though no public schooling parent has ever attempted to shelter their children? *Spoiler* At the end of the movie, Rudy defies his mother and joins Horton and his class, implying that home schooled children are such against their wills -- that they'd rather be in public school. *End Spoiler* I don't know about other home schooled kids, but I was pretty happy to finish my school work in 3 hours, to do extra on the weekends, and graduate early.
    When has Hollywood ever represented home schoolers as we see ourselves -- socially confident people who happen to have been educated in an alternative manner? Honestly, I've been wracking my brain and I can't think of an example. Mean Girls represented "average" home schoolers in a character who claimed that "God gave man guns so he could shoot dinosaurs and homosexuals." Replace "God" with "Allah" and "home schooler" with "Muslim," and it's racist, bigoted, and mean-spirited; but since they're just home schoolers, well, all in good fun?
    This isn't the only thing that caught my attention during the movie -- there were many more important points, among which this was rather minor. But it strikes me as insulting, and very sad, that a story that's supposed to teach children to accept life wherever it is, and to accept people as they are, was turned into a movie where so many walked away either with a sour taste in their mouths towards home schoolers, or insulted for the way they educate their children.

Monday, April 28, 2008

ENS

    Am I the only one who has noticed the lack of American children in the US? I mean, I'm from a family of 6. To me, 4 children is normal -- maybe even a bit on the small size. But to many, 4 children is almost vulgar. And for REAL big families, with 10+ kids, well, the parents should obviously be in the funny farm for daring to bring that many children into their families.
    On the other hand, I hear from women that they feel guilty for wanting one more kid if they already have one or two. After all, it would be "socially irresponsible" to have any more. But their natural, biological urges tell them that their baby-making days aren't over. So they ignore their bodies because, well, society says that families must contain only 1.8 children. In the last 20 years, the size of the average family has halved -- while the size of the average house has doubled. Kind of makes you wonder what an alien visiting this planet would say is our top priority as a species.
    And so, when I tell others that I want a big family -- and that my idea of "big" is 5+ children -- I'm met either with a look of horror, or a condescending assurance that I'll change my mind once I've had one or two. I'm told instead to "wait", that I have plenty of time, and that children are more burden than blessing. After all, once they're here, there goes my precious, perfect, all-important "me" time. And Lord only knows how much we treasure ourselves in this culture!
    Is it really so strange that I acknowledge and appreciate my body's designation for motherhood? Is it so vulgar that I believe it's my duty to raise the children I produce -- and to give the opportunity for love, family, and structure to as many children as God brings our way? Is it really so oppressive when I consider it a tragedy for a woman to hang up her ovaries against, or without, her wishes, simply because social pressure says she's a nut?
    Women are made with an incredible gift -- or, according to XKCD, "it's neat how you contain a factory for making more of you." And yes, that gift comes with enormous responsibility, to ourselves, our children, and to the world. But for many, the idea of pregnancy being "unwanted" or "unplanned" is absurd, like dry water or hot snow. It's only sad that they are the exception, rather than the rule, in our self-absorbed society.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Eternal Father redux

    I find it kind of disappointing that there aren't any verses in Eternal Father, Strong to Save for the Army. So I wrote one -- and a couple of joint-service verses.
    Enjoy.

    Eternal Father, God of Might
Protect our soldiers as they fight
And with Thy peace, their hearts imbrue
And let them find their rest in You
Lord, guard them till all war shall cease,
Eternal Father, God of Peace.

    Oh Heav'nly Father, hear our prayer
For those on sea, on land, on air
And Thy own great assurance give
To those who die, that we might live
And let Thy loving kindness be
On those on land and air and sea.

    For every man who hears the call,
For soldiers, sailors, airmen all
For those who into danger roam
And for their loved ones, safe at home
Preserve them on the land and wave,
Eternal Father, strong to save!
For those in peril, anywhere

    Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

    Creator, Father, who first breathed
In us the life that we received,
By power of thy breath restore
The ill, and men with wounds of war.
Bless those who give their healing care,
That life and laughter all may share.

    Eternal Father, grant, we pray,
To all Marines, both night and day,
The courage, honor, strength, and skill
Their land to serve, thy law fulfill;
Be thou the shield forevermore
From every peril to the Corps.

    Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces in the sky.
Be with them always in the air,
In darkening storms or sunlight fair;
Oh, hear us when we lift our prayer,
For those in peril in the air!

    Eternal Father, Lord of hosts,
Watch o'er the men who guard our coasts.
Protect them from the raging seas
And give them light and life and peace.
Grant them from thy great throne above
The shield and shelter of thy love.
Ice cream for breakfast

Addy let me get an ice cream maker yesterday; today, I'm eating organic strawberry sorbet for breakfast.
That counts as a fruit, right?

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Although you can't see them, or hear them at all...

    I went to see Horton Hears a Who tonight. I really enjoyed it; for a children's movie, it was very well-made, with plenty of entertainment value for parents (and creepy adults who happen to enjoy seeing children's movies, by themselves). But it was certainly a movie that makes people think about bigger issues than merely an elephant who hears a speck cry for help.
    Some of the issues were relatively minor: Issues like home schooling, preferential treatment from parents, and the judicial process. Others are big -- like the right to life, democracy as a mode of justice, human dignity, collective morality, and objective truth. I can just see a "Christian's Guide to Horton Hears a Who" in the future.
    I think I showed my first signs of Xangaddiction when, during the movie, I thought to myself, "This movie would make a great blog series."

Friday, April 25, 2008

Favorite drink

    Why? Because I can. This is my own version of a hot toddy -- one shot of rum is just enough to put me to sleep, so it's a good evening drink (which is why I'm sipping on one at 2300).

    10 ounces cranberry juice
    1/2 stick cinnamon, 3 cloves, a few chunks of candied ginger, 3 allspice berries, 3 peppercorns
    1 shot spiced rum
    Warm the juice with the spices over low heat for about 10 minutes. Strain out the spices, and add to the rum in a large mug. For a less alcoholic version, cook the rum with the juice -- most of the alcohol will evaporate.
    It's maybe not quite as traditional as the usual black tea, lemon, honey, and brandy concoction, but I like it.
Caedmon's Call

    My absolute favorite band of all time is Caedmon's Call. If you're not really interested in the Christian music scene, you've probably never heard of them, which is your own loss. They've been around for 15 years, and I've been a fan ever since they put out their first album -- which, to this day, I'm still not tired of. They seem to have had a song for every situation in my life; from the death of a friend, to my marriage, to my loss of faith, and finding it all over again.
    Years ago, when I first saw them perform, they played a song that they haven't recorded (as far as I know), and I wish they would. The opening verse goes,

    Lately I've been thinking some pretty strange things
more than I'd admit
    Like the exact moment that milk goes bad
and even then, isn't it good for something?
    And not so much about why bad things happen to good folks
and age-old questions
    But more about why good things happen at all
and why I don't notice them

    Of all the songs I've ever heard, of all the messages they could have said, this one sticks with me the most. Because we so often complain about bad things happening to "good" people, we miss the good things that happen to everyone by mere existence. We have spiritual blinders that shield us off from seeing the good, because it's so much easier to complain than to worship.We forget that "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Blessings and trials are ours simply by living. You can either choose to worship or despair.
    I choose the worship, because my spirit gives me no other option. How sad that so many see only the impossibilities of every good, rather than the joy of the possible in every bad. One family has been showing me this in abundance the last couple of months:
    "The reality that both Tricia and Gwyneth would survive and thrive after being given a 50% chance of surviving the pregnancy is amazing.
    The possibility that Tricia would ever be a transplant candidate again after the pregnancy was limited.
    The chances that Gwyneth would grow to full-term from 24+ weeks without any major complications was improbable.
    The likelihood that Tricia would receive her new lungs after being listed and activated turned out to be nearly impossible.
    Our God loves to move in impossible situations, not only to show us love, but to also show us His glory. We pray that, beyond everything else, people will see Him."
The floggings will continue until morale improves.

    It's "all intents and purposes," not "all intensive purposes" or "all insensitive porpoises," which is just weird.
    I don't like dogs. I never have, and probably never will.
    If I had to live anywhere other than the good ol' US, it would be Ireland.
    Poor grammar actually causes me physical pain. Please, don't do it.
    At this point, I'm thinking "libertarian" needs to be added to the "conservative/liberal" dichotomy, making it more a trifecta. It's really more a political position than a party.
    I'm fairly certain that, while Hillary Clinton is merely evil, Obama may very well be the devil.
    My favorite flowers are white gerbera daisies.
    Both of my weddings (same husband -- one courthouse wedding, one church wedding) were disasters. Maybe the third time is the charm.
    I would sooner vote for a Libertarian Atheist, than a Christian Democrat.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Stewards and stewardesses -- not flight attendants
Considering that I'm ultra-conservative on abortion and the economy, it generally comes as a surprise to most to find out that, deep down in my cold, cruel, Capitalist heart, I'm also an environmentalist. (I know; I was as shocked as you are.) It's true. I recycle, I use canvas bags, I buy organic, and (when we lived in places that had them) I frequent farmer's markets. And while I reject the current "global climate change" nonsense for exactly what it is, I whole-heartedly agree that we are, for the most part, trashing our planet, and that we should (and must) make changes to create a better future.
Here's a list of a few things I want to do, and some things I already do, to affect change in the world. There are small things that everyone can do, whose cumulative effects result in large changes; and big things that only a few people may be able to do. Even if you can only do ONE, you are making an impact. It's sitting at home, happy with the status quo, that does nothing.
- Use recycled paper products. If every household in the US replaced just one roll of conventional paper towels with a roll of recycled paper towels, it would save a million trees. Replacing just one 12-pack of toilet paper with recycled bathroom tissue would save 1.7 BILLION gallons of water.
- Replace conventional cleaners with natural, or safe for the environment cleaners. Increased demand for cost-effective, environmentally-friendly cleaners has brought them into the mainstream, making them less expensive and more practical than ever. Replacing just one bottle of solvent-based household cleaner with a solvent-free natural cleaner could remove up to 11 million pounds of volatile organic chemicals from entering the air.
- Plant something edible. Even if all you have is a sunny windowsill, growing your own tomatoes, chilies or strawberries (potted varieties are very low-maintenance) ensures not only that you control the quality of your ingredients, but prevents land decimation for the purposes of agriculture, and reduces emissions from produce transportation.
- Use canvas bags. Not only do they reduce petroleum dependence, but most grocery stores offer a small refund for them.
- Recycle. This is perhaps the smallest, most important thing you can do: Don't throw things away that can be reused. And not just in a recycle bin, either -- sew old clothes into cat toys, or use old tupperware for planters.
- Replace high-energy florescent light bulbs with halogen -- and turn them off when you leave a room. Turns out, mom, as she inevitably is, was actually right: Leaving the lights on wastes energy. So turn them off when you leave.
- Walk distances less than 1 mile, with a load less than 5 pounds -- and bike less than 5 miles, with a weight of less than 10 pounds. Not everyone can, or should, do this -- but those who can may find that they not only feel better for doing something good for the environment, but the feel physically better, too. When and where you can, be active!
- Plant a garden. This goes in with "Plant something edible," but replacing water-heavy non-native grass with native plants reduces not only water dependence, but keeps lawn mower emissions out of the air. Plus, gardening reduces stress!
- Compost. For those who can garden, using your own compost is a great way to keep organic matter -- fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, you name it -- out of the landfills. There are many websites available for proper compost construction, in all different types and sizes for your own personal needs.
- Dispose of things properly. That this even needs to be said is indicative of the sad state we're in. Things like batteries, appliances, some aerosol cans -- all need to be disposed of safely. Meaning, not at the dump! Find your regional disposal facility for safe disposal of hazardous waste.
- Use solar panels. This is a bit on the "big changes" side. The solar panels of today are a world away from their humble beginnings. Running on batteries charged from the panels, solar power is extremely reliable (you're not going to have to wait for a sunny day to take a hot shower). And since they use a power source that's completely free, they pay for themselves in just 5 years.
- Line dry your laundry. Large appliances like dryers use enormous amounts of energy -- not to mention that the sun acts as a natural bleach.
- Reduce your meat intake. The land used for cattle alone consumes most of our agricultural resources. Limiting your meat intake to red meat only once a week -- or, better yet, going vegetarian -- reduces land consumption for feed crops, that can be better used for foods edible by people.
    This is simply an abbreviated list. There's a ton more people can do, big and small changes that all add up. But unless we address what's gotten us into the state we're in, we're never going to be able to do enough.
    Here's the thing: Back in the 80s and 90s, when the millennium was right around the corner, a lot of Christians got this idea that, since Christ was going to return soon anyway, we really didn't need to be all that worried about taking care of the planet. Saving souls, they reasonably rationed, is more important than saving trees. And so the back-swing from the tree-hugging 60s and 70s took its toll. The end result is a voting base of conservative Christians who fret about the dangers of storing up treasure on Earth, and ignore the very real dangers of being poor stewards.
    On the other hand, you have those who stuck to the roots of the environmental movement, and used it to political means. Based more on fear than fact, they've hijacked the very sensible message of the original environmental movement ("Don't litter, don't overconsume your resources, give back equal to what you take") and replaced it with their own brand of politic babelry ("Progress is wrong, people are evil, coexistence is impossible.") Let's face it: We've all lost our way.
    So what's the answer? Well, for those who already are environmentalists: Stop relying on peoples' fears, rather than their minds, to guide them to make right choices. Acknowledge the facts: Global warming is not man-made, it's not bad, and it's not aggravated by man. Don't assume that people will only change if they're scared into it; tell them simply that making small, environmentally-conscious decisions is beneficial to them today -- regardless of its impacts in a thousand tomorrows. It saves money. It saves land. It saves energy (electrical and physical). And it makes you feel better. For goodness' sake, just tell people the truth.
    And for those who aren't, keep in mind that you don't have to accept everything that a fear-mongering politician-cum-celebrity tells you to accept that we're in a sad state. If Al Gore and Kyoto don't convince you, fine -- they don't convince me, either. What does is common-sense reasoning. I think that's enough, don't you? Remember: None of us can do everything. Everyone can do something.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Inquiring minds want to know

    I've been rolling this one around in my head for a bit, I'm curious what some of my new readers would have to say about it.
    Generally, it is assumed that the primary difference between man and animals is the capacity for rationality. Man, we are told, is a rational being. But then we are also told that believing in God is irrational. So how could a fundamentally rational creature, have spontaneously come up with the idea of a being, if belief in that being is, we are told, so clearly and fundamentally irrational? Why wouldn't man have simply taken the "rational," Atheist view, if God does not, nor cannot exist?
    Why would original man have assumed that God is both good and omnipotent, if the evidence so blatantly concludes that He is neither?