calibration
there may be millions
screaming disparate orders;
I only hear you.
the smedley log - suburban scrawl
To be the muse of just one bad verse
It is Easter. I am Christian, so of course I celebrate the rising of Christ. The thing is, while He may be risen, I have been totally worn down the past few days since having multiple wisdom teeth extracted.
One side of my face is disproportionately swollen. While it no longer hurts to chew per se, the swelling is a bit more than uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I attempted ham dinner with my family this afternoon. I even survived it.
In the spare time induced by missing work on Thursday and Friday (when I wasn’t in too much agony to use a computer), I attempted to add to my pain by working on a website project I’ve been struggling with for the past few weeks. It’s for my local union’s website. While I may not be the ultimate web developer, I firmly believe the results of my effort will represent a vast improvement in the quality and function of said website. But, oh, the pain of the process. Thankfully, it should be over soon. If only I had the same confidence with my aching jaw.
Extraction day (formerly known as Thursday) was quite harrowing, but things seemed to be looking up on Friday. So I tempted fate by heading into town for a taste of the Philly Film Festival with a random film society member who offered me some tickets. I saw three films (in succession). It didn’t seem too challenging at the time, but by Saturday morning, I wasn’t feeling well at all. Thankfully, Sunday has been a lot better to me (so far).
Getting to the final twist in this winding post, I was recently reminded that April is National Poetry Month, which left me wondering why I haven’t been able to write any decent poetry in a while. I sketched a few drafts on Thurs… er, Extraction night, but the mood was looking darker with each line.
Fortunately, a fine example of poetry is on display at Marisa’s. It was written by her mother, who recalls her childhood reactions to a homeless man in Philly. Since I was in a generally melancholy mood as I was reading it, the poem eventually caused me to ruminate on one of the following questions:
- a. Why haven’t we solved the scourge of homelessness yet in this, one of the world’s most affluent cultures?
- b. Whatever happened to the cardboard box man to whom young Marisa was reacting?
- c. Why hasn’t anyone (that I know of) ever written a poem about me?
If you guessed a or b, you clearly overestimate my ability to consider the plights of others while in acute pain. On the other hand, if you guessed c, you deserve the prize (not that I’m offering one).
It occurred to me that while I’ve written poems about other people I’ve encountered, I don’t believe I’ve ever been the muse of someone else’s verse. Which brings me to today’s question:
Has anyone ever written poetry about you?
It doesn’t have to be a great work of literature. It could be an old boyfriend composing really cheesy material about how you rocked his world. O maybe something by a family member (like your mom, for instance). It might even be a song by a garage band from your past. I’m just curious to hear from anyone out there who’s played the muse. And if so, what did it feel like?
I’m not Catholic, but my Godchildren are
And so my sister and her half-dozen offspring ventured out my way to visit the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, home to the shrine for St. Katharine Drexel.
Since they were in town, I went along, never wanting to miss the opportunity to spend time with the nieces and nephews (five of whom are also my Godchildren). We first stopped for lunch at Poppy’s, where the eight of us downed the better part of two pies. Then we ventured over to Bensalem where the Sisters, along with the Drexel shrine, reside.
The shrine was interesting, and I wish I’d taken a camera (for some reason I thought cameras wouldn’t be welcome – apparently I was wrong). Among the artifacts related to the life of Katharine Drexel was a collection of worn down pencils in a glass case. They were part of a display demonstrating St. Katharine’s commitment to her vow of poverty.
Poverty strikes me as an impressive vow to keep. Considering Drexel’s background, maybe even more so. Heir to a vast inheritance, she could have chosen a much more lavish life. Instead she chose to try to serve the under-served, contributing large sums of her family’s fortune in the process – effectively putting her money where her mouth was.
I’ve just been thinking about how rare that is, how counterculture it is, given everything society conditions us to value. I’m not Catholic, but I’m always impressed by people whose commitment to serving others is stronger than the desire to serve themselves.
Those that won’t leave you alone
“How loudly we plead our innocence
long after we’ve made our contribution”
-Bill Mallonee
Someday we’ll see the connections. We’ll grasp the enormity of these constitutional missteps we make in the name of security. Someday we may even be able to discuss them without a tinge of partisanship, because we’ll understand that once you embrace an opposite set of values to accomplish even the most justifiable ideals, you’ll have already lost the ends for which you employed those means in the first place. [Read more →]
Holier than who?
“Some men never feel small,
but these are the few men who are.”
-G. K. Chesterton
I hadn’t expected to write much more along the lines of my last post, but the buzzing in my head (propped up by some gracious and thought-provoking emails from a respected reader) hasn’t stopped yet, so here I am with a little magnification on the subject, which is only incidentally related to Ms. Coulter.
When partisan political folks talk about things like godlessness and holiness, I often chafe. I have less trouble with folks who defend a hard-right agenda with non-Christian ideals, mostly because so much of the extreme conservative agenda doesn’t stand up to Christian ideals. Which isn’t to give extreme liberalism a pass, either; it’s just that I notice far fewer liberal voices using God as not only their refuge, but also their excuse. But anyway… [Read more →]
She’s got it all worked out
“Most of the time, I’m an extraordinarily good Christian.”
-Ann Coulter
In all honesty, most of the time, I’m a pretty sub-par Christian. I try, albeit with wildly varying results. But I’m relieved to hear Ann’s got it down pat (and judging from her attitudes, I’m guessing all that talk about humility only appears in the liberal Bible).
Read more about Ms. Coulter’s mastery of Christian principles at Beliefnet.
(via RedBlueChristian)
Unwavering
At Ales Rarus, Eric asks the question, “Must Christians Support Israel?” And debate on the topic is lively.
As a Christian, I’ve often wondered (especially in recent days) about the foundation for the unwavering support of Israel by some Christian leaders. I often suspect the dynamic is more political than spiritual. In reading Eric’s thread, I find it encouraging that not every Christian is taking it as doctrine that we must stand with the Israeli state no matter what.
Another website of interest, while I’m on the subject of the Israeli-Lebanese tragedy, is From Israel to Lebanon. In case you wanted to see some of the results of a “measured” response.
iPod Pious?
The perfect gift for those whose religious symbols aren’t accessorized enough.
(via Marjo)
Anchors
Where do you get love-
-down below or from somewhere above?
-Matthew Sweet
What gives you value? What make you feel like your life is worthwhile?
I ask because I think it’s somewhat connected to the curiosities I’ve been entertaining (in posts like this and this). Namely, I wonder about people who figure their entire sense of self-worth based on the opinions of other people. I have a hard time imagining a situation in which this method of calculation is very reliable. [Read more →]
Through the Waters
On Saturday, February 25, my children were welcomed into Christ’s Church by the ancient rite of baptism. For those who know me (either as an online entity or from the reality-based community), and especially for those who may have followed our tortured journey from the Evangelical Church beginning Lent 2005 towards the Roman Catholic Church, I thought this might be of interest. Officiating were Frs. Martin Rauscher and Dennis Crowley of Assumption Parish two blocks from our house here in Morristown, NJ.
Here is Daniel (14)…
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And his sister, Karen (10)… Yes, you read that right: 10 (11 in May but 10 til then)…
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Here’s Jeremiah (7), who hopes to be a “mathologist” when he grows up (if his career as Ice Cream Truck Driver doesn’t pan out)…
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And Maria (5 very soon), who having difficulty making up her mind between ballerina and princess (nice work if you can get it)…
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Finally, Ezra (3), whom you met earlier. Click Ezra in that post for the Flickr photos including a good one of my dad relaxing in front of the wine table (the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree).
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Here is the whole baptismal party (if you call it that)…
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That is 5-times mother but not til this day Godmother Christine on the left holding Dara (#4). And on the the right (where else?), you’ll find the inimitable Howard, proprietor of these blog-parts, and Godfather of these beautiful kids. At center is my lovely wife Robin (Howard’s sister), and, just in case you think it might be rude to ask, yes that is our #6 (if experienced prenatal ultrasound technicians may be believed, Esther Linda) riding along with her. Your scribe is the grey-haired guy with the hopelessly fat tie. As Howard alluded to earlier, we went to our local friendly Italian place for an “intimate” dinner for about 30 people.
I have much to say about this journey that God has led us on. Much more than can be said here. But I do thank Christine and Howard for standing up for us, as well as all the others who attended and shared with us (even when they had to hold their noses for the Catholic theology). It was and continues to be a celebration of life, new and old, of water and of spirit.
Quote of the day (for two weeks ago)
It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it.
-G. K. Chesterton
Skittish little things
Oh, the things that have flitted across my mind in the past day or so.
An Iranian newspaper, in its own brazen exercise of “free speech”, is soliciting caricatures related to the holocaust. A soundbite I heard on the radio had a former Iranian ambassador to the UN explaining how much worse it was to depict Mohammed in a cartoon than it is to poke fun at the historical slaughter of millions.
It occurred to me while listening to this man: by painting the Mohammed depictions as substantially more offensive than scoffing at the holocaust, he may have been trying to explain in advance the lack of violent protest that is likely to result from whatever holocaust cartoons come of this amazingly stupid idea. You know, something along the lines of, “See? If holocaust caricatures were anywhere near as bad as Mohammed caricatures, we’d have had Jewish people firebombing the Saudi Embassy in New York…”
Then there was the hunting accident with the Vice-President in Texas, but unlike whatever bird Mr. Cheney was trying to nail, that whole situation seems like too easy a target.
And on a topic only tangentially related to the last item, I recall the excited throng of conservatives who trumpeted the American Bar Association’s rating of Judge Alito. I fully expect the same people to be nodding in agreement with the ABA opinion on the NSA warrantless wiretap program.
Oh, and by the way—Villanova beat top-ranked Connecticut last night. Shades of 1985, when I was still young and full of hope…
Assault ministry?
Fred Clark points out a couple things in one concise post about a Newsweek article.
First he observes a disturbing but popular political tactic that’s apparently permeated the evangelical mindset. Then he notes a correction, as well as what it says about both the news media and some in the evangelical movement.
