We've scaled back quite a bit on Christmas over the past few years and I, honestly, don't get that much -- part of that is my own problem in being tough to buy for. But this year, I received a stocking stuffer that probably cost about 75 cents that was my favorite present.
It is not uncommon for my brother & I to put goofy things in each others stockings.... This year I contributed mashed up hot dog buns, bread, macaroni, and butt paste in peoples stockings (there actually is such a thing as "butt paste" and it makes a great stocking stuffer). So I was not surprised to see a can of spinach in my stocking - I assumed it was related to the fact that we were forced to eat spinach as a kid which absolutely grossed me out.
However, as my brother explained it, my wife and I were both touched. My brother realizes that I am on the verge of a "Popeye" moment. These are the moments I've blogged about before where people reach the point of "That's all I can stands and I can stands no more" and then act on it. It's no secret that there are some social justice issues burning in me, that are holy discontents, that are bubbling into popeye moments. My bro is expected 2008 to be a year where I "eats my spinach" because I reach a point of seeing all that I can stand in certain areas.
The thoughtfulness of this gift meant a lot to me; it encouraged my spirit more than he or anyone else will ever know. Stay tuned! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The long defeat
The Long Defeat is a phrase denoting an apparently impossible but noble battle. The phrase was used by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings to refer to the long struggle against the evil forces of Sauron. Specifically, Lady Galadriel, recollecting her summoning of the White Council and the ensuing long struggle, says to the hobbit Frodo, "Through the ages of the world we have fought the long defeat." Tolkien viewed all of human history since the fall of man to be a long defeat, but with an expectation for a final victory over evil.
Dr. Paul Farmer has worked for years among the poorest of the poor in Haiti. In Tracy Kidder’s biography of Farmer’s life, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder tells of a time when they took a daylong hike to check in on a patient. Walking together, Kidder asks about the cost- and time-effectiveness of actions like this–Farmer, one of the most talented doctors in the nation, taking a whole day to visit one patient himself. Farmer stops walking and turns to Kidder. “I have fought my whole life a long defeat … We want to be on the winning team, but at the risk of turning our backs on the losers, no, it’s not worth it. So I fight the long defeat.”
In light of Farmer’s work and life, “the long defeat” is not a pessimistic outlook, but rather a challenge to our culture’s success-driven worldview. The difference between a cost-effective business model and the long defeat is that the conviction lies at the heart of the action, not the success of the action itself. Farmer is basically saying that we can’t just fight when we think we will win. There are many losing battles worth investing in, simply because winning is not the point.
Luke Skywalker and his ragamuffin team of Jedis fight the Dark Side, not because they think will win, but because not to fight is to give in to darkness.
The above words were all plagiarized from articles I found on the web as I have been searching for language to describe my burning inside. There are days (quite often these days) when I feel like I have been handed the ring and the burden of responsibility that comes with it... but I like the shire; I like being able to pay my bills; I like not seeing all there is to see in the way of human suffering and exploitation; I like to have Christmas gatherings with treats and presents without the concern of what is happening in Malawi or the Phillipines or wherever. Wait, I don't like the shire... I love the shire. At that is the crux of the issue. The Bible teaches us that we will serve whatever we love and that we cannot serve two masters. If I love the shire more than the responsibility of the ring, then I will serve the shire and not fulfill my burden. But serving the burden is a daunting task. What shall I do? My decisions do not just impact me - they could have tremendous impact on my family and friends; but what impact does my decision have on the "others" in society?
Questions need to be asked. What truly is the "ring" I've been given? What truly is the task/responsibility/burden that comes with the ring?
There are many battles to be fought and not all with accompanying glory. But... the battle is raging whether we like it or not; and troops are needed. It seems many of the battles will end in defeat... but does that mean we do not fight them? This is the essence of the long defeat.
Dr. Paul Farmer has worked for years among the poorest of the poor in Haiti. In Tracy Kidder’s biography of Farmer’s life, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder tells of a time when they took a daylong hike to check in on a patient. Walking together, Kidder asks about the cost- and time-effectiveness of actions like this–Farmer, one of the most talented doctors in the nation, taking a whole day to visit one patient himself. Farmer stops walking and turns to Kidder. “I have fought my whole life a long defeat … We want to be on the winning team, but at the risk of turning our backs on the losers, no, it’s not worth it. So I fight the long defeat.”
In light of Farmer’s work and life, “the long defeat” is not a pessimistic outlook, but rather a challenge to our culture’s success-driven worldview. The difference between a cost-effective business model and the long defeat is that the conviction lies at the heart of the action, not the success of the action itself. Farmer is basically saying that we can’t just fight when we think we will win. There are many losing battles worth investing in, simply because winning is not the point.
Luke Skywalker and his ragamuffin team of Jedis fight the Dark Side, not because they think will win, but because not to fight is to give in to darkness.
The above words were all plagiarized from articles I found on the web as I have been searching for language to describe my burning inside. There are days (quite often these days) when I feel like I have been handed the ring and the burden of responsibility that comes with it... but I like the shire; I like being able to pay my bills; I like not seeing all there is to see in the way of human suffering and exploitation; I like to have Christmas gatherings with treats and presents without the concern of what is happening in Malawi or the Phillipines or wherever. Wait, I don't like the shire... I love the shire. At that is the crux of the issue. The Bible teaches us that we will serve whatever we love and that we cannot serve two masters. If I love the shire more than the responsibility of the ring, then I will serve the shire and not fulfill my burden. But serving the burden is a daunting task. What shall I do? My decisions do not just impact me - they could have tremendous impact on my family and friends; but what impact does my decision have on the "others" in society?
Questions need to be asked. What truly is the "ring" I've been given? What truly is the task/responsibility/burden that comes with the ring?
There are many battles to be fought and not all with accompanying glory. But... the battle is raging whether we like it or not; and troops are needed. It seems many of the battles will end in defeat... but does that mean we do not fight them? This is the essence of the long defeat.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sabattical
OK, so I've been on a little sabattical with posting crawling to about 1/week. This past weekend I was the lead in 3 performances of our Christmas dramusical which can be exhausting when you factor in practices, etc. It really was a blast but left me tired as I spent some afternoon time with the family watching the Vikings kick some 49er butt. Could this team really make the playoffs?
I have so much passion building up inside of and at some point you are going to see it come flying through in these blogs. For now, I've got too much going on with just finishing final assignments for my last MBA class and preparing for the residency this coming weekend... along with 3 more performances this coming Sunday.
But you just wait... when I come out of the shoot with some of the stuff I've been hinting at, you are going to feel like a gust of wind just knocked you on your can. Basically, I am tired of seeing the "unacceptable social injustices" continue to take place.... it is ridiculous that anyone go hungry or sleep outside in the cold. There, that's your teaser..... I promise, more to come!
I have so much passion building up inside of and at some point you are going to see it come flying through in these blogs. For now, I've got too much going on with just finishing final assignments for my last MBA class and preparing for the residency this coming weekend... along with 3 more performances this coming Sunday.
But you just wait... when I come out of the shoot with some of the stuff I've been hinting at, you are going to feel like a gust of wind just knocked you on your can. Basically, I am tired of seeing the "unacceptable social injustices" continue to take place.... it is ridiculous that anyone go hungry or sleep outside in the cold. There, that's your teaser..... I promise, more to come!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Unacceptable Issues
I've been talking with the editor of a local paper about the potential of becoming a regular contributing writer. We talked about what that could look like and where the topics may arise.
One thing I have been growing increasingly passionate about are those things in our society that are absolutely unacceptable. I'm talking about things like hunger, poverty, and homelessness. There are issues that anger me such as child prostitution, slavery, etc, but these are very complex issues to solve. There is no reason why anyone should be going days without food or living weeks without homes..... there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone (the problem is not food production, but food distribution) and there is enough capacity to build homes and shelters that people should not be spending a Minnesota winter on the sidewalks. These are unacceptable to me and I'm starting to feel like Popeye.... "That's alls I can stand I can't stands no more."
Perhaps my role for such a time is this is to open the eyes of others, create a groundswell of anger and demand for change, and then help strategize solutions. Perhaps my role is to start editorializing about it on a local level and see what happens. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps....
One thing I have been growing increasingly passionate about are those things in our society that are absolutely unacceptable. I'm talking about things like hunger, poverty, and homelessness. There are issues that anger me such as child prostitution, slavery, etc, but these are very complex issues to solve. There is no reason why anyone should be going days without food or living weeks without homes..... there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone (the problem is not food production, but food distribution) and there is enough capacity to build homes and shelters that people should not be spending a Minnesota winter on the sidewalks. These are unacceptable to me and I'm starting to feel like Popeye.... "That's alls I can stand I can't stands no more."
Perhaps my role for such a time is this is to open the eyes of others, create a groundswell of anger and demand for change, and then help strategize solutions. Perhaps my role is to start editorializing about it on a local level and see what happens. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps....
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