thoughts on the news of the day: andy rooney

hmmm…..

            Andy Rooney is gone; he passed away last night at the age of 92.  Wanting to work until the day he died, he accomplished his goal by doing his last broadcast a month before his end.  I consider him one of my heroes.  He was never afraid to say what he thought even if it wasn’t always popular.  I loved that he was witty and at times even sardonic. 

            Andy began his career at 60 minutes on the July Fourth weekend of 1978.  His first piece was on the sensationalism of reporting car accidents over holiday weekends.  He said that ironically Fourth of July weekend was one of the safest weekends in which to drive a car. 

            I guess the reason why I like Andy Rooney’s writing and commentary is that many times, he said just what I was thinking but didn’t have words to say.  One time he asked the question, “Is there a real Mrs. Smith who bakes Mrs. Smith’s pies?  The answer is that there isn’t. I am not surprised; there is probably not a real Mr. Orvel Reddenbocker either.  And by the way, Andy won an Emmy for that one.

            Lots of times, people don’t really want to hear our opinion.  But that’s usually because it is unbending, unclever, and uninformed.  Andy’s opinions and writing were never like that.  I’m not sure who will take Andy’s place – don’t know if anyone ever could.  He was original and unique.  And he will be missed.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: pastors

hmmm…..

            Trying to be a pastor is a very curious thing.  I am not talking about being a preacher or a minister but a pastor to the people.  Some religious leaders are accused of playing God.  And I admit, they prance around on national television telling cute stories and making rash promises which entertain but don’t really comfort us spiritually.  These folks are busy pretending to know what God’s will is for us as if they had a connection to God that we can only hope to have someday.

            Real pastors are different.  Pastors stand in for God.  A good pastor will be there for you in good times and in bad  -- a strong and steady force.   You can be mad at your pastor if you are afraid of being mad at God and it’s OK. Good pastors don’t take it personally.   I personally shake my fist at God a lot.  Cancer is cruel, Parkinson’s is terrifying and Alzheimer’s is, well, awful.  We have lots of folks in our congregation who suffer from these and other horrible diseases.  We have others who have lost loved ones and suffer in their grief.  It’s not fair; and I intend to ask God when I get to heaven why folks that I love have to suffer.

            In the meantime, I am trying to learn how to be a good pastor – the kind who stands still and loves her flock no matter what; the kind that God would be proud to call His servant.

            hmmm…..   

thoughts on the news of the day: late

hmmm…..

            I am a day late; did you miss me?  Yesterday the blog just didn’t happen.  I had a running streak of 375 days in a row, which more than met my goal of writing a blog every day for a year.  But yesterday sinus headaches, phone calls and meetings got the better part of me and the blog didn’t get written.

            I don’t like to be late and I really don’t like to be a day late.  It’s really kind of rude.  It says to the person waiting, “I am more important than you; you don’t matter.”  Doctors who are late really annoy me.  I understand a few minutes – everyone runs behind, but really, sometimes it gets ridiculous. 

            It was really refreshing, though when I went to a doctor in Springfield recently.  I filled out a form, turned it in, waited about three minutes, and the nurse called my name.  Then she took me back to a little room I affectionately call the “stall room”.  It’s where they put you until the doctor has time to get to you.  After another three minutes, though a nurse came in and took my history, vitals, etc.  Then she said, “The doctor will be in shortly.”  Ah, I thought, now comes the wait.  I was wrong, the doctor almost immediately came in and I was out of the office in 30 minutes.

            I felt that I was valued, that I mattered and that I got good care.  It instilled my faith in the medical profession.  It made me want to do better; to try harder to be on time.  Like now.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: candy and costumes

hmmm…..

            Today is the day set aside by most Christians as All Saints Day.  It is traditionally the time we celebrate the lives of saints who have gone before us.  There is a debate among churches as to whether saints are only those determined to be in heaven by evidence of miracles, etc.  But most Protestant churches adhere to the “sainthood of all believers” meaning that everyone who practices the teachings of Jesus is a saint.

            When I was growing up in Catholic schools, we celebrated Halloween and All Saints Day back to back because Halloween always came one day before All Saints Day.  We were asked to dress up as Saints.  It seemed to solve the Halloween costume dilemma.  Lots of bathrobes and bed sheets came out of the closets.

            But yesterday I noticed that once again many churches had Halloween parties for children in the community instead of All Saints celebrations.  Oh, sure, they might call them Fall Festivals or Harvest Hoedowns, but let’s face it; they had candy and they were on Halloween so they were Halloween parties.  It is as if the church holiday that is celebrated in today’s world is not All Saints Day, but Halloween.  Now most churches argue that they are keeping the kids safe and off the streets.  But that’s really not true.  I have seen lots of kids and parents say that they came to the party early (or late) because they wanted to get in their trick or treating in too. 

            I am not saying we should get rid of Halloween.  I love all the costumes and candy.  I am just saying I’m confused by the message many churches are giving out; and I think lots of other folks might be too.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: halloween

hmmm…..

            Today is Halloween.  In our neighborhood, we still have lots of little goblins and witches who invade our space.  I think they even truck the children in from outlying areas because the impression is that our neighborhood is safe; and it is, but I think parents making that assumption is not so safe.

            I googled my name yesterday because I was a little curious to see what popped up.  There’s not much about me in the cyber world, I mean I am obviously not a rock star or anything.  But I checked out one website in particular that had my name listed. I was dismayed and concerned to find out that they listed me as single (which is correct) and that I lived at **** Parkview Circle, Mountain Home, AR.  In addition, they had a picture of my house with my car visibly parked in the garage.  It was a little disturbing.

            Now you might ask why I am making that information available in a very public blog. Well, the harm is already done.  It is on a website on google.    Now here is the really disturbing part.  I logged onto the site to remove the information they had about me and now they want my email address – even more information!!!

            We try so hard to keep our children safe.  We walk with them at night when they trick or treat to make sure nothing scary happens to them.  But are we protecting ourselves?  Are we walking down dark and foreboding alleys when we enter the internet?  And can we protect ourselves the way we would protect our children?  Just asking ….

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: manicures

hmmm…..

            Midrash manicures? Apparently a Rabbi in a Jewish day school in New York City is teaching middle school girls the Torah through painting their fingernails.  When I first read about this, I imagined little scrolls with Hebrew writings painted on nails.  That would require some detail!  The products of this Midrash Manicure Club are almost as ornate.  As part of their education, the girls read the weekly assignment from Torah, and then design pictures to paint on their nails as part of their examination of the text.  For example, the story of Noah’s Ark could have a bearded Noah on one fingernail, animals two by two painted on several nails, a large boat and a rainbow at the end digit of the hand.  Get the picture?

            Now, that’s an innovative way to educate!  I guess you could get carried away with that idea.  Say maybe put the shapes of states with their state capital on each nail. It would take 5 weeks or so to complete the project.  How about algebraic or chemistry formulas, one on each finger?  Or maybe organs in the body for biology?  Yes, I am getting carried away here, but what is the harm in making education fun?

            In my daughter’s American History class, the students pick a popular song and rewrite the lyrics of it to interpret an event they have studied.  I know a Social Studies teacher who used to bring left over cotton from the fields in Mississippi to illustrate how difficult it was to pick cotton if you were a slave in the South.  With their pricked and bloody hands from pulling the cotton out of the boll, the students got it.

            Teaching children today is a challenge; it requires engaging them in activities that keep their attention.  I am grateful for creative and innovative teachers who continually keep education alive.

            hmmm…..