Retro - Softball

I didn't take any pictures today so I took one of when I was playing softball in college (since I have softball on the brain lately...I'm in a Rec league this summer!).


This isn't the the best shot - I look like I'm demonstrating how my face would look like if I had no teeth - but I picked it because you can see the glove I had. It's the black Rawlings glove I had though high school and college.

One day I just realized that it was gone. I think I left it on this field while playing a pick up game between the softball team and Chatham staff in the off-season, but I never saw it again after I think my freshmen or sophomore year. I had to get another glove, which is fine, but I just loved that glove. It took years of good memories with it.

After 5 years of not playing, I'm just excited to get back into it. Time to make new memories.

Father's Day

Taking a break from my foot motif and to talk about... my dad!



(he doesn't get the "internets" so he probably won't see this. Maybe I'll print it out for him? We'll see...)

One thing about my dad, he hates being in pictures, which is why I was proud to get this sneaky shot of him and myself at a family 4th of July thing two years ago. He's looking pretty content in this picture, probably because he's on his second Yuengling by then.

My dad and I don't always see eye-to-eye (which father/daughter relationship does?), but here are a few things I really appreciate about my dad:

* his snarky sense of humor. It also can be a little too much at times but I have to say I got my sense of humor from my dad (sorry mom).

* the idea that working hard is a good thing. He's put in some hard work to help get my brother and I through school and the like. I may not always agree that hard work is the number one thing in life, but it's an ethic I respect and (I hope) strive for.

* he's influenced my love of Rock 'n Roll.... ROCK! My love for complicated guitar solos and crazy 80's hair bands comes from this guy.

* his "passion" for current events and the political arena. I certainly don't agree with all he says, and though much of his political discourse involves complaining about those idiots in Washington, I'm glad that he cares enough to get angry at the people running our country. It's better than the alternative which is being aloof and apathetic or just mute about it.

* he may have strong opinions, but I'm glad we can talk about them at this point in my adult life and I'm glad that he tells me he loves me whenever we talk on the phone.

Fun fact: Dad drives me absolutely nuts when he flips through the TV channels like a maniac, but if I start tickling he feet he'll eventually fall asleep on whatever channel he's currently on. :)

Love you Dad.

Photo Haiku

Standing side by side
We will forge brand new terrain
On this trodden ground

My feet at the Pirate Game

It was a beautiful night! Fun with the co-co's.

New blog focus - (mostly) daily picture or video of the day.

I've been pretty dormant on this thing so I've decided to start a new focus on this blog. In order to get myself to snap more pictures and video, I'm going to start carrying my camera around every day and try to take something interesting, then post it here. It could be with a story or poem or just a short caption, but it's just something to make myself do daily so I can exercise the creative side of my brain.

Unfortunately, internet service seems to be currently down at my house, so I'll have to do this before or after work.

Today's picture was actually taken yesterday (so sue me):

I left work for a late lunch, and then just kept walking. I needed some time to decompress/think/pray. So I found this rock by the river and listened to the wind and watched the movement of the water. I think I actually sensed God's presence for the first time in a long while. Not just cerebrally in my head, but in my heart and spirit. It's kind of hard to describe.

I'll need to do this more often.

Christmas in a Nutshell

The Word of God, Jesus Christ, on account of His great love for mankind, became what we are in order to make us what He is Himself.

~Bernard of Clairvaux

I like that whole meeting us on our level idea. But to break open that nutshell a little more:

We are: weak and small and finite.

The Word of God is: Powerful, Everywhere, Infinite

God becoming human is like trying to shove a huge square into a tiny circle.

But then we have Jesus, who while human is still God. The Christian Paradox.

So if God in the person of Jesus becomes: weak, small and finite.
Does that mean we become powerful, everywhere, infinite?

I don't know about picking up these divine elements since we are still just flesh, but I think we need to look more at the humanity of Jesus to see what God wants us to become...

Broken servants.
Loving to all and especially our enemies.
Caring for the weak, the poor, the lost.
Putting ones self last.
So confident in God's love that we don't need any other identity.
Realizing that weakness is actually strength.
Giving thanks to God for everything at every moment.
Seeing the image of God in every person and God's work in the world.
Undoing injustice and heartless theology.
Building community rather than putting up walls.

These can only happen when I let go of my need to control my life and let God work in me. When I can open my eyes outward and look for what God is doing in the world instead of focusing on myself.

Sure, purity and righteousness and holiness are all extremely important, but to think we have to achieve that by our own will is a dangerous or futile notion. We can't strive to be God...but we can strive to be like Jesus, and maybe in our seeking and striving to serve (and resting and surrender and earnest prayer), God will transform those parts of us as well.

Christmas is when we no longer have to strive so much, but rest in wonder at God's love.

We gather to remind each other of this and to contemplate and act on this Great Love we've been shown.

And together, we start to look a lot like Jesus.

GOP on the national parks

http://www.theweek.com/cartoons/index/101239/Republicans_and_National_Parks
Sorry this just made me laugh...! I know this does not speak for everyone aligned to the party.