Sounds of Hope

Now that we've had some fun with women's hair rituals and devoted a whole blog to Spoolies , I want to get serious.  The headlines are very disturbing.   Afghan riots over Quran-burning: 2 days, 20 dead .    The article goes on to tell that 80 were also injured.  That's 100 people who've been hurt or killed because of Dr. Terry Jones.   I wrote a blog about "Dr." Terry Jones last September . I was hopeful after he backed down.  I hoped that the damaged could be minimized.  But he put the Qur'an on trial and found it guilty.  I am not sure guilty of what.  I also wonder what authority he feels he has to make such a decision and maniacal behavior. We often hear that freedom isn't free.  Now people are paying the price for Dr. Jones freedom.  The damage has been done.  The damage is irreparable.  Like a game of "telephone" where one person tells another and by the time it gets to the end of the line, it no longer res...

Facebook is an interesting place.   I know some people who absolutely hate it and won’t use it.   I however, am one of those that use it all the time.   It’s a part of my life.   I am working on a dissertation about Facebook.   It has saved my sanity, kept relationships, built Christian fellowship, and entertained me.   I’ve read all manner of books and articles on Facebook.   I’ve read all manner of status updates as well.   I’ve even lost a friend or two because of Facebook. Yesterday, I saw a status update from someone I have a complicated relationship with.   Their status concerned their philosophical observation about life.   Often Facebook statuses do seem to give you a window into the thoughts and soul of a person.   This person shared through cyberspace that the only thing they could control was themself.   That’s true.   Someone else responded with the wise words of Steven Covey.   Between stimulus and resp...

(This has appeared other places but thought I'd post it here too). Recently I did a paper for school. I am always doing a paper for school. This topic was to be a time I gave pastoral care to someone. Why is it that you never can remember something when called upon to do so? It was like what? Me? Did I ever minister? At last, I thought of Rose. Rose was in her 80’s, Jewish, suffering from a dementia, confined to a wheel chair and living in a dementia unit at a relatively posh assisted living facility. I would see Rose once a week as part of my job. She rarely made sense. Sometimes she would scream for her husband. Nevertheless, I liked Rose. She was loud and Jewish. I think she reminded me of where I grew up, Brooklyn. It was March and Purim was nearing. Purim is the Jewish celebration built on the Biblical story of Esther. I had asked Rose about her spirituality. She would sometimes light up when I mentioned something about faith. I decided to purchase a children’s book on...