When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? (Psalm 8:3-4)
I saw these camo Easter eggs at WalMart today... my first thought was wow, nothing says 'Jesus has risen' like camouflage Easter eggs. It is so incongruous to be celebrating the resurrection of our savior, the Prince of Peace with camo Easter eggs!"...Alongside my own deep personal faith, I am a follower, as well, of our civic religion. I am a big believer in the separation of church and state. I am a big believer in our constitutional structure. I mean, I'm a law professor at the University of Chicago teaching constitutional law. I am a great admirer of our founding charter, and its resolve to prevent theocracies from forming, and its resolve to prevent disruptive strains of fundamentalism from taking root in this country.
As I said before, in my own public policy, I'm very suspicious of religious certainty expressing itself in politics.
Now, that's different from a belief that values have to inform our public policy. I think it's perfectly consistent to say that I want my government to be operating for all faiths and all peoples, including atheists and agnostics, while also insisting that there are values that inform my politics that are appropriate to talk about...."
In 1978, deep in the jungles of Guyana, 918 people died at the People's Temple Agricultural Project known as Jonestown. Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Jonestown mass suicide.
This event disturbs me today as much as it did thirty years ago. When the horror of this tragedy hit the newsstands I was a young Hippie Jesus Freak involved with leading a small group of Christians. I learned firsthand that "leadership" can have many pitfalls. The Jonestown tragedy changed my view of "church leadership" forever. The Apostle Paul wrote...
"Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand." (2 Corinthians 1:24)
Yesterday was National Adoption Day, celebrated every November. This year's focus was on the children in the foster care system and their need for permanent placement.
Growing Up Adopted Is Healthy And Normal: Adoption is healthy, satisfying, and good for adopted persons, not an enduring challenge to identity and wholeness. The adopted person may have additional questions and curiosities to sort out, but adoption is not a psychological burden or pathology as some theorists treat it. Adoption is the way one joined one’s family, not a defining characteristic or lifelong process. Persons adopted as infants grow up as healthy and productive as people raised in their biological families. To the extent there can be a greater risk of emotional or behavioral problems for children adopted out of foster care at later ages, the correlation is not the result of being adopted, but rather of difficulties experienced prior to adoption, such as neglect or abuse. The vast majority of foster children make the transition into their adoptive families and grow up very successfully.
Adoptive Parents Are The Real Parents: The 'real' parents of the child who was adopted are the adoptive parents, because they are the ones who are legally and morally responsible for the child; they are the ones who parent. In general, law and society have appropriately treated adoptive parents the same as biological parents. In the best interests of children, we should continue to do so. The interests and well-being of adopted children are thoroughly intertwined with those of the adoptive family.
The non-profit that I work for put on it's annual fundraiser concert last night and we were able to book CSN for the event... beyond cool. Although as an employee I could have gotten in to general admission for free, I bought two tickets in the reserved section, second row - center stage just behind the sponsorship tables... but at the last minute someone wanted to buy my seats so my employer gave me an upgrade to the VIP tables... third row from the stage! What a total blessing, I have never had seats this good. Thank you, I'll work for free for the rest of the year, just kidding.
We took some much needed vacation time last month. We took our beautiful star to Disneyland for the first time. We had a great time, it is a lot of work to have fun, but it was worth it. It was so magical to see her light up when she met Mickey and Minnie. It has been almost twenty-five years since we were last at the Magic Kingdom with our birth-children. There was so much to see and do, but we were ever mindful of the need for naps - not only for Bella, but also for us! We made an effort to ride some of the old standards and do some new things too. We ate at the Blue Bayou for the first time. It was by far the most expensive meal we have had at Disneyland, but the food and the service was second to none... well worth it. Bella's favorite was the King Arthur Carrousel, she must have ridden it three times!
We took the Amtrak train to Disneyland to avoid driving in So Cal traffic with a toddler in the back seat. Although it took a few extra hours going by rail, it was a great way to travel with a little one and a wonderful way to meet new people. The freedom to move about the train and explore made the travel time pass quickly. Eating in the dinning car while taking in some breathtaking California coastal scenery is a special treat. The food was much better than airline fare and the view far surpassed any that we have experienced in a stationary ocean view restaurant at any price.
"It is astonishing how distance blunts the keen edge of anything that is disagreeable. War is at all times a most fearful scourge. The thought of slain bodies and of murdered men must always harrow up the soul; but because we hear of these things in the distance, there are few Englishmen who can truly enter into their horrors. If we should hear the booming of cannon on the deep which girdles this island; if we should see at our doors the marks of carnage and bloodshed; then should we more thoroughly appreciate what war means. But distance takes away the horror, and we therefore speak of war with too much levity, and even read of it with an interest not sufficiently linked with pain."From the sermon "A Present Religion" by the English Baptist minister Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) on May 30, 1858, Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
Find The Cost Of Freedom by Stephen Stills (CSN&Y)Daylight again, following me to bed
I think about a hundred years ago, how my fathers bled
I think I see a valley, covered with bones in blue
All the brave soldiers that cannot get older been askin' after you
Hear the past a callin', from Ar-megeddon's side
When everyone's talkin' and noone is listenin', how can we decide?
(Do we) find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground
Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down
Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground
Mother earth will swallow you, lay your body down
(Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground)
Every trip to Santa Monica Beach while growing up in Southern California included a view of the Los Angeles National Cemetery. This was one of the most influential images of my youth that helped shape my opinion about war. Check out this link to a YouTube video set to Edwin Starr's song WAR.WAR by EDWIN STARR
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y'all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
Ohhh, war, I despise
Because it means destruction
Of innocent lives
War means tears
To thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives
I said, war, huh
Good God, y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain't nothing
But a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Ooooh, war
It's an enemy to all mankind
The point of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest
Within the younger generation
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die
Aaaaah, war-huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it, say it, say it
War, huh
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all
War, huh, good God
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, it's got one friend
That's the undertaker
Ooooh, war, has shattered
Many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is much to short and precious
To spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life
It can only take it away
Ooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War, whoa, Lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me
War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War, friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding
Tell me, is there no place for them today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way
Ooooooh, war, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
You tell me
Say it, say it, say it, say it
War, huh
Good God y'all
What is it good for
Stand up and shout it
Nothing
