Baby, it’s cold outside! It’s so cold that it hurts. As for me, however, I am in Café Ambrosia, looking out of the window at Orrington Ave., while working on my book’s index and sipping a cup o joe. Dylan’s in the background, and I’m feeling good.
For those preachers out there...
Luther Seminary has a new site that provides commentary on current and upcoming lectionary passages. The entries include exegesis, sermons, theological reflections, etc. My comments on the OT passage began this past Sunday (I have to update my picture at Seabury!).
Check it out: Workingpreacher.org
Wow! Last night Michelle and I watched Obama’s victory speech in South Carolina. Wow! I felt like I was in church. His words stimulated my thought and soul in a deep way. It moved me to tears, literally. I must admit that I am getting a bit tired of critics who assume that he is just about rhetorical flare. First of all, what is wrong with good, hope-inspiring rhetoric? Would that all of our country’s leaders could speak in such a way that a nation could be stirred. Second, I believe that he is speaking effectively to a generation who is still finding its way past post-civil rights racial discourse. This form of speech (and life) is not motivated by the same thought patterns of the previous generations. It is not ignorant or naïve about race. It is hopeful. It rejects cynicism. It is speech that is willing to act and willing to do the hard work necessary to accomplish its ideals. It is the “audacity of hope.” I am believer not just because I like Obama—and I do like Obama—but because supporting him actually gives me hope that I’m doing something right with my political voice.
There is no love loss between the cities of New York and Boston when it comes to sports, especially baseball. Now the Giants are playing the Patriots in the "Big Game" (I didn't get permission to use the S.B. word). Even though New England is looking at an undefeated season, led by their record-setting QB, Tom Brady, one could argue that the Giants are the hotter team right now. The Patriots have continued to win, but their victories haven't been as decisive lately. New York has played some really tough teams and has figured out ways to win. The much maligned Eli Manning is now playing like a franchise QB. This should be a great game.
I'm not a betting man, but my personal playoff picks have gone pretty well so far. Here's my results:
Wildcard Round
-Was @ Sea: my pick, Sea by 17; actual, Sea by 21 (Record: 1-0)
-NYG @ TB: my pick, NYG by 6; actual, NYG by 10 (Record 2-0)
-Jax @ Pit: my pick, Jax by 3; actual, Jax by 2 (Record 3-0)
-Ten @ SD: my pick, SD by 10; actual, SD by 11 (Record 4-0)
Divisional Round
-Sea @ GB: my pick, Sea by 7; actual, GB by 22 (Record 4-1)
-NYG @ Dal: my pick, NYG by 3; actual, NYG by 4 (Record 5-1)
-Jax @ NE: my pick, NE by 13; actual, NE by 11 (Record 6-1)
-SD @ Ind: my pick, Ind by 10; actual, SD by 4 (Record 6-2)
Conference Championship Round
-NYG @ GB: my pick, NYG by 3; actual, NYG by 3 (Record 7-2)
-SD @ NE: my pick, NE by 10; actual, NE by 11 (Record 8-2)
Not bad for straight up picks. I would have also called the Super... uh, the Big Game correctly, the Giants vs. the Patriots (except I would have had NY beating Sea in the NFC championship and NE beating Indy in the AFC).
So any predictions on the "you know what"?
I predict that the commercials will be funny. Tom Petty will be mumbling some lyrics on stage at half and look like he's been smoking pot for 40 years... oh he has. I predict that Arizona will be warmer than New York and New England's temperature combined.
AND
I predict that the Patriots will be only the second team to have a perfect season, beating the Giants by 14 points.
I’m in my carrel today doing some writing, and geez is it cold in here! My carrel, which is in NU’s library, has only one window. It is about 1 ½ ft. wide and about 5 ½ ft. tall, and the cold comes right through it. BRRRR.
I am going to start a line of thinking today that I’m sure will come up again and again in the upcoming months. I am happy to say that I am experiencing a bit of a renewal in my own spiritual life. I can’t put my finger on it, but it is has something to do with a progressive form of Christian faith that has, for lack of a better term, “heart.”
Jim Wallis, in his new book, The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America, discusses how things have changed since his last book, God’s Politics. In the earlier work, Wallis unpacks historically why the liberals on the left don’t get it, and why the religious right got it wrong. In this follow up book, which is due out soon, he suggests that the climate has shifted—Evangelicals are leaving the Religious Right in pursuit of a faith that has more social activism, and liberals are coming out of the closet about their own religious convictions and spirituality.
I can’t say that I have agreed with everything that Wallis offers, but the trend that he describes makes a lot of sense to me and matches what I and some friends have been talking about in living rooms, coffee shops, and bars (yes, bars too!).
Anyway, I hope to post more about this in future entries… But for now, it’s back to the writing.
I decided that it was time to start blogging again. I realize that it might take some time for folks to begin to realize that the blog actually has new entries, so I will keep things short for now.
Riffing off of a line from Poltergeist, "He's back."