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Had a great conversation with Ann's cousin today about a variety of religious and political topics. One of the comments was (something like) "the Pope speaks for the Catholic Church". My thinking is that he speaks for the church's government but not the church. Got me thinking about a wonderful post by my blogger friend Andy, a United Methodist pastor in Springfield, Missouri, who recently wrote a blog post titled: Who Do I "Speak For"? Following are a few excerpts from Andy's post (read it in full here). I would love to hear what you think about the idea of someone speaking for you.
Are you an e-book fan? Would you mourn the closure of a book store or library as much as closing of a Starbucks?There is a communal aspect to libraries and book stores in the same way that there is for coffee shops like Starbucks. I think that a little bit of Americana is lost when these institutions are closed. I like e-books for the reasons that Brian mentions but wonder if they further isolate and insulate us from each other. Our Wednesday night group is reads books together and it is interesting that I am the only one (out of 15) that likes the e-book version better. Perhaps this love of paper books will ebb with future generations? Maybe the clinical world of Star Trek is closer than we think? ... I think that it is interesting how many folks who work from home choose to sip on a latte while using the Starbucks wifi to work. Perhaps folks are a lot more social than we all want to admit to? Maybe the future will not be all that anti-social?
I remember dreaming about building a racer and competing in the Soap Box Derby when I was a kid. Did you ever want to be a part of a derby? Well today the carts are out in Kansas City with the All American Race (i.e. KC Finals) beginning at 9am. Next stop for the winners is the national competition in Akron, Ohio. Here is a blurb from the KC chapter site about the sport:The Kansas City Soap Box Derby has been holding races since 1947. Soap Box Derby is a racing program for boys and girls ages 7-20. With the help of a parent or another adult, kids build their own gravity-powered race car which they drive themselves. Soap Box Derby builds close parent/child relationships and teaches building skills, perseverance and good sportsmanship.My understanding is that the combined weight of the cart and the driver cannot exceed 200 pounds - wonder how many older kids fit into that category? Even so, it sounds like a fun place to be today in KC - good luck to the racers!
You're a grand old flag, You're a high flying flag and forever in peace may you wave. You're the emblem of the land I love. The home of the free and the brave. -George M. Cohan
THE EXCRUCIATUS--Ex-crew-see-ah-tus: This is an ancient Latin word for "the pain from the crucified one" (excruciating). Literally, it says "out of the crucified," and thus calls to mind a similar Latin phrase construction: "ex cathedra," which means "the expression [words] coming from [or out of] the [papal] chair."
My life changed irrevocably four-and-a-half years ago when my spine failed and collapsed. I spent two years on the floor, in excruciating, debilitating and unrelenting pain. I can only describe the pain as being submerged into a vat of scalding acid that has an electric current running through it. And you can never get out, ever. ... When you are in unrelenting, excruciating and debilitating pain that never goes away for years on end, your life is over. ... “This type of experience, ordeal, odyssey, it wrecks everything and it changes everything. You face every issue imaginable. Every issue — family, social, friends, financial, health — everything in your life is up in the air. You turn your back on people, friends, because it’s awful.”There were days when he could not get off the floor. He could not sleep. He ate lying down. The pain was so intense that he considered suicide — an admission that Walton made public. Yet it just took one day of back surgery and a boatload of physical therapy to get him back. Here is the way that he tells it:
“I’ve had two fused ankles, my knees, hands and wrists don’t work; and now I have a fused spine,” Walton said, adding with a smile: “But I’m doing great. And I am back in the game of life.”On a very personal level, Walton's story encourages me. Doctors are telling me that I am a candidate to have both my (cartilage free, bone on bone) wrists and (bonespur riddled) ankles fused. I have been putting it off as my pain has not reached excruciatus levels. Celebrex and Tylenol Arthritis keep the pain manageable but unfortunately I am not pain free. Even so, I take heart from Walton's story and look forward to one day having pain free joints. ツ
