Came across this Mark Twain quote today. I’d never heard it before:
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”
Not an exact copy, but certainly reminiscent.
I’m Glad I’m Not a Connecticuterite
In his resignation speech today, Senator Larry Craig mentioned the support he had received form his fellow Idahoans. Idahoans? How awkward is that? Not as awkward as trying to make a name out of Indiana. Indians? Nope, can’t do that. Indianan? Nope. That’s why, if Craig hailed from Indiana, he would have cited his fellow Hoosiers. Wisconsin is another ungainly name. Wisconsinian? Wisconsinite? I suppose most Wisconsin people follow Indiana’s example, calling themselves Badgers.
The best state name is Texas, which is inhabited by Texans. Not Texasians, just Texans (though I do refer John Wayne, in some movie, referring to Texicans, which is akin to Mexicans). Kansas does the same thing, making its people Kansans (Kansicans?). But Texan is much cooler sounding.
Many states conveniently end with an “a” or “ia,” so you can just add an “n” and be done with it. Georgian. Pennsylvanian. Arizonan. Minnesotan. Of course, some states do some contortions, such as Florida, which makes it’s people Floridians, stressing a whole different syllable.
States ending in “on” just add “ian.” Washingtonian. Oregonian.
What do you call people from Mississippi? Mississipians? Probably. Michigan people are strangely named Michiganders. I don’t know what they call themselves in Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Hawaii, or Connecticut. Mainelander? Seems like I might have heard that before, but I’m not sure.
America was named after the explorer Amerigo Vespucci. I’m not sure how “Amerigo” became “America,” but I’m very glad that I’m not an Amerigoan.
And that, children and Miss Teen USA contestants and our friends in South Africa, is today’s geography lesson.
CNN’s Show on Religion
Last night I watched CNN’s show “What Would Jesus Really Do?”, hosted by Roland Martin. It was one of the best news shows on religion I’ve ever seen, and very positive toward Christians.
Martin started by interviewing T. D. Jakes and Paula White. I’m not a fan of anyone who appears on TBN shows with Jan White in the background, but I do admire Paula White’s communication skills. She did okay, but Jakes was very impressive and definitely has gravitas.
Martin next interviewed Jerry Falwell, then a black pastor from Texas, and finally, Rick Warren. Warren has developed into a wonderful representative of evangelicals, though he doesn’t try to be their spokesperson (a role Jerry Falwell and James Dobson have seemingly tried to claim over the years).
Martin asked each person a version of this question: “If Jesus were alive and walking around today, where would he be focusing his attention? What would he be doing?”
Each person gave it a twist based on his own interests. Warren said, “I think Jesus would be hanging around people with AIDS. Jesus spent time with lepers, and people with AIDS are the lepers of today.”
Warren also said he believes it’s a sin to die rich; that money is something to be used for God’s glory, not hoarded.
Disappointments at Starbucks
I went to Starbucks twice last week. Both days, they were still brewing the decaf and I’m not inclined to wait several minutes; one day I left, the other I reluctantly settled for something different. Today, both their decaf and bold were the Komodo Dragon coffee, which is way too strong for me, so I decided to skip getting coffee today. I needed some Lightnote coffee ground–but I couldn’t find any decaf bags. So I left.
That’s three consecutive disappointing visits to Starbucks. Just shouldn’t happen.
Oh, the travails of living in 21st Century America!
He Sounds Like a Democrat
I now officially like Mike Huckabee, who is running for President. I don’t endorse him, and may not vote for him. But I like him. Why? Because he plays bass in his church’s praise band.
Time magazine has a very interesting column by Joe Klein called The Second Commandment Republicans. Klein contrasts what he calls the “grace” views of Huckabee and Sam Brownbeck with the “condemnation” proclivities of Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, and Pat Robertson. I think that’s a bit simplistic and unfair, but there’s only so much you can do in a short column. And it does point out something worth pointing out.
Huckabee attends a church in Little Rock, Ark., which he describes as “very similar to Rick Warren’s. We’ve gone from 25 members to 5000 in eight years. Our focus has been to minister to people who were otherwise neglected….We are a multicultural, multiracial congregation, with rich and poor.”
I like that. I feel like Huckabee is a lot like me, and a lot like the new wave of Christian leaders, who emphasize causes that previously were the habitation of Democrats–concern for the poor, the environment, AIDS, etc. Rick Warren is perhaps the foremost person in this movement of new leaders, though he’s not particularly leading anything (except by example). It’ll take a long time for displace Falwell, Dobson, Robertson, et al, but the day is coming.
Klein mentions heaing Huckabee speak to the National Review’s Conservative Summit, and stressing his views on feeding the hungry and healthcare. A person told Klein, “I think he’s in the wrong party.”
We’ve got a highly committed Christian interested in the poor, and Republicans are saying he sounds ilke a Democrat–that he doesn’t belong in a Republican setting. Yes, there’s a change coming, and it’s a good one.
Ministry Disappointments
Last night was one of those disappointing ministry experiences. I talked to five young men in our church, all twenty-something, about getting together to talk about things related to the Christian life. They all said they were interested.
I was very excited about this. For the first meeting, I just planned to walk them through the bridge illustration, to determine their understanding of the gospel message.
I showed up at the church at 6 pm, anxious but a bit nervous. And waited. And waited. Nobody showed up.
I’ve had this happen before in ministry. You get all excited about something, and nobody shows. Or the one person you really wanted to be there doesn’t show up. This stuff just goes with the territory. You realize that after it happens so many times, but you never enjoy it.
At our previous church, after Pam and I moved out of our apartment and bought a house, we were excited about hosting our Sunday night small group, which had about eight couples. We spent the weekend cleaning, bought plenty of snacks, and had everything ready, anxious to show off our new abode. And nobody showed up. Every couple in the group found something else to do that night. Yeah, that one stung big-time.
But last night–that didn’t sting. It was just a huge disappointment. The stakes are high on this one, much higher than just showing off a new house. So I’ll connect with the guys again, and we’ll try next Monday night. Again. I really want this to happen. And maybe I’ll spend a bit more time in prayer about it this week. That wouldn’t hurt.
The Cardinals Blow a 20-Point Lead
Last night was a great, even euphoric, night for Arizona Cardinals fans…right up until the last half of the last quarter. When it all tumbled end-over-end into the toilet. That was excrutiatingly painful to watch.
I’m basically an all-things-Arizona fan, which goes back to my days actually living there (in Lake Havasu City). That means I like the Arizona Wildcats, the Phoenix Suns…and the Cardinals, despite my memories of them in St. Louis. I rooted for the Diamondbacks when they reached (and won) the World Series. I draw the line at hockey. Sorry, but I just can’t cheer for a hockey team in the desert (or anywhere, for that matter).
I figured the Cardinals would get blown away last night. I was interested in the game for three reasons. One: the aforementioned Arizona infatuation. Two: I’ve been a USC football fan since my high school days, and Arizona now has a USC quarterback, Matt Leinart, who did quite well last night. And three: I’m definitely a Colts fan, and the Cards have a former Colt in Edgerrin James.
It was a sad, sad way to go to bed last night.
Seekers in a Battle
Last night four of us played in the Battle of the Bands at the Seekers Coffeehouse, a Christian-run business which also hosts a new church. They’ve got a fairly large concert room with wonderful sound equipment, and they do a lot of music things to attract business. For instance, Monday night is Open Mic night. Tim and Terry, Anchor’s guitarists, play regularly on Monday night. A worship team from the area hosts each Thursday night; Anchor has done that twice.
This summer, they’ve been running the extended Battle of the Bands for about eight weeks, with three bands playing every Saturday night. Last night was the final night. On Tuesday, three bands will be notified that they are the finalists, and they’ll be invited to return and do their stuff next Saturday, August 5, for the finale.
Will it be us? That would be awesome. We really rocked last night, definitely outdoing the other two acts (a jazz quartet of pony-tailed guys who were fine musicians as long as they stuck to guitars), and a lone guy from Indy who set up a big Casio keyboard and bore a nice-looking acoustic guitar, and who I had high hopes for until he opened his mouth and started singing. We had to leave, or else, like those robot models in “Austin Powers,” our heads would explode.
I had a great time. We had to do up to 45 minutes of original music–no cover songs. Fortunately, Tim and Terry have done more than enough of that, having written many songs over the years which we’ve done at Anchor. And it’s good, fun stuff. On some, like Terry’s “Confidence Man,” I was able to really let loose with some honky-tonk piano. On other songs, I hung in the background with pads, strings, and flute.
Yes, I hope we’re called back. I would love to do that set again. This was the fourth time I’ve played at Seekers, and I think it was my favorite. Just Tim, Terry, me, and Terry’s son Joe on the drums. And a few faithful Anchor fans who came to cheer us on despite the $3 cover charge.
After we played, a guy walked up to me and introduced himself as Steve Dennie. Actually as Steve Denny. When the Lowes on Illinois Road opened about 13 years ago, I used to hear my name paged over the intercom frequently, and it always freaked me out in a Big Brother sort of way. Turns out it was him. He managed that store when it opened. He and his wife moved away for about ten years, but recently moved back. I gave him my business card as proof that he had met someone else with the same name.
Fun Times in the Neighborhood
There seems to be a new sport in my church’s neighborhood: knocking out our windows. A week ago someone threw a brick through a lower-level window into the fellowship hall. Then on Monday a big rock crashed through one of the windows in back. The window next to it is broken, too, but the inner window is intact.
So last night, after our prayer time, we boarded up those two windows tightly (replacing the temporary cardboard). I understand several other windows were broken previously. This is interesting.
A few weeks ago at music practice, a gal who has been attending Anchor ran into the sanctuary and said a couple guys were trying to break into her house. Police came and caught one guy.
All of which affirms that this is right where we need to be. I find it exhilarating.
Rejoice and Be Glad?
Today we finally caught up with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A long time ago I watched the video of the beheading of Nick Berg–brutal stuff, made me sick. Al-Zarqawi wielded the knife. Now we can watch the video of the house where he died being blown up.
I’m not sorry to see him dead. By no means. But lately I’ve been reading some stuff by authors who also happen to be in the non-violence camp, and there’s so much that they say that is resonating with me, a moderate-to-hard-liner. I’m still not sorry to see Al-Zarqawi dead. But I’m no longer able to rejoice in it, to feel gleeful. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but curiously, I feel good about my feelings. As if I’m catching a little bit of how Jesus might feel.
