partsofspeaking

I know that the official last day of summer, the autumnal equinox, is September 21, but we all feel like it is Labor Day, which is as early as it can get this year.  So I offer these . . . Why do these news outlets think we care about Joan Rivers' medical condition?  What do you do about a "friend" on Facebook who posts one week that our redemption draws nigh because of the situation in the middle east and this week that she is thankful for margaritas and for not being a redneck?  You confront personally, not there. Dealing with someone estate is far more work than people think. As mentioned elsewhere, I wrote a play that is going to be produced at my college.  I am excited about that.  I attended auditions this week, which was fun, but after a meeting to do a read through, I will leave all to the director because (a) I'm getting nothing out of this deal and (b) it's her job and she does it quite well without me, thank you very much.  But she chose ...

This is the title of Beth Moore's study on James, and I am finding it quite good.   The question of "faith vs. works" is a hard one for some people.  It's not one I struggle with--living what you believe makes perfect sense to me--so I am trying to figure out why others do.  I think it has to do with the question, OK, how much is enough, and the fact that "enough" may lead to human sanctions, i.e., legalistic obligations and expectations.  Logical obedience and rational consistency between the truths of the gospel and how we live can escalate into pushes from others about what that logical obedience and rational consistency should look like.  Since Christians (and Christian women) can be gullible and not able to stand up to the opinions of others, we get trapped.  Been there, done that.  I've thrown away the t-shirt.  I try hard not to put my expectations on others (despite some of these posts) and I try even harder not to let theirs affect m...

As I have written before, there was a popular bumper sticker (on the left) during the Bush administration:  Are you appalled yet? Are we appalled yet by Obama?  ISIS is a direct result of his policies, inaction, hubris, ideology.  The influx of young immigrants is a direct result of his illegal, unconstitutional actions.  Those are just two examples.  If he weren't so activist, so bent on reforming America his way, where would we be?  He has tampered with the system. Don't say, "But Bush ...."  That is just not relevant anymore.  We are seeing direct results of  his policies.  He can go out and make a speech somewhere but not deal with his actual job.  I don't like to quote this source, but this says it all: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/08/22/obama-stands-alone-even-media-are-baffled-by-his-deepening-isolation/ So what about Ferguson.  Well, it's a state and local matter.  I just don't know.  Too many...

By now almost everyone has heard of the ice bucket challenge.  Two days ago it reached the staff and faculty on our campus on my Facebook feed, and of course last night I was challenged.  The context:  A dear friend of mine died of ALS in 2006, after about three years of debilitation from it.  I essentially "got her job" when she had to retire.  So another professor challenged me and two other communication teachers.  She doused herself (as did her husband) and posted it. Well, I don't have time today to douse myself, film it, and put in on Facebook, although it's so hot outside that the idea of being drenched in cold water is pretty good.  In these weeks after my mom's passing, I just have limited emotional energy, and I have certain commitments this weekend that are calling my name.  So I posted that I would make a donation.  But I didn't say to what. I have always been a little iffy about disease organizations.  I've been reading ...

This is not the most structured narrative.  I am writing about my mother and her death because it is time, and a way to deal with grief and loss, and as therapy.   She died two weeks ago last Tuesday.   This is the story. I have not cried yet.   This is not good, nor normal.   I may still be in a level of shock, and can’t get past the guilt or fear that I did something wrong, that she would have been here longer, that Donald could have at least seen her and spoken to her.   I don’t think she wanted to die, in the sense that she decided she was ready and went.   That is often claimed, but I don’t believe it.   Whatever was killing her, taking all her strength, finally took the last bit needed to breathe and beat the heart.   Her blood pressure was 80 over 40s that morning, and pulse 113.   The CNA came at 9:30, and we had been up.   I was trying to get fluids into her, and a little food, and she was still swallowing, but at ...

I often read Ann Coulter’s weekly essays, which come to my yahoo box.   My general view is that I think her outrageousness is funny.   I agree with a lot of what she says, although these celebrity conservatives do not speak for me.   But lately she’s just been shrill, and now mean.   Her most recent rant is that Samaritan’s Purse should not have sent American missionary doctors to Liberia or the third world period because Ken Brantley and another needed to be rescued, flown home, and treated for Ebola and it cost 2 million dollars.   She went on and on about how stupid that was to send medical help over there, and how the American poor need medical care in destitute communities. First, I hardly think she has a good perspective on the missionary world.   Second, it’s none of her business how much Samaritan’s Purse spends—she doesn’t donate to them.   Third, since when does she care about the poor in the U.S. ?   But the comment section i...

I wonder a lot about evangelicalism.   The excesses of it make my head spin.   This summer my SS class is listening to tapes of well known women speakers.   It amazes me how they talk about their families.   Might their children and husbands want a little privacy?   One was especially shocking about how she talked about her family.   This woman has a high profile “ministry” and I believe she has impacted many people for good.   I can only say that God uses us in spite of our flaws, not because of our gifts.   Perhaps I am too analytical and look for flaws, but my training is to look at all sides of something, not just the surface. I am often shocked by evangelical gullibility, how small our world is, and narcissism.   There is so much evil in the world, so much persecution against our brothers.   Do the average Christians in the US even know about these things?   These are rants.   I don’t know what good it does to tal...