Excellent interview Annie! I see that she didn't respond at all to your follow-up to the first question as to where she comes from, which she answers "Rancagua, Chile" with some pride in her heritage and at some length... "I’m sure Rancagua isn’t Spanish for Rank Water, is it? Probably not." (Ouch!) "I bet it’s just beautiful there!" (Good Save!)
I hope you were both laughing at that point as much as I was!
But through the whole thing, it was really engaging! Well done! You've got a great style! And sharp-looking website too!
Josh
Showing posts with label Josh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh. Show all posts
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Humor Me, A Symposia Limerick
My $.02...
Our family, we started symposia
Reluctantly, some said "I s'pose, yah"
But the seeds that were sown
From this nest have flown
Now have much out of which to compose fer ya!
This symposia's name is Still Water
Of Lamken, Vold, Jaeger, and Potter
And as the sun sets
Hope no one forgets
The source of creation, our fodder!
Ironically, some pen a spate
While others, to table come late
But let no one here doubt
The source all throughout
Our Father, by Whom we create!
So let this symposia inspire
Both still water and cleansing fire
To this we have come
Our Journeys, in sum
Like the voice of a heavenly choir!
See, it can be done... Is it too much to ask that our poems at least rhyme?
;-D
OK, working on some haiku!
Peace... Emmanuel!!!
Josh
Our family, we started symposia
Reluctantly, some said "I s'pose, yah"
But the seeds that were sown
From this nest have flown
Now have much out of which to compose fer ya!
This symposia's name is Still Water
Of Lamken, Vold, Jaeger, and Potter
And as the sun sets
Hope no one forgets
The source of creation, our fodder!
Ironically, some pen a spate
While others, to table come late
But let no one here doubt
The source all throughout
Our Father, by Whom we create!
So let this symposia inspire
Both still water and cleansing fire
To this we have come
Our Journeys, in sum
Like the voice of a heavenly choir!
See, it can be done... Is it too much to ask that our poems at least rhyme?
;-D
OK, working on some haiku!Peace... Emmanuel!!!
Josh
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Everything Depends On Perspective
It’s amazing how much everything depends on perspective.
Two old friends get together over coffee—they hadn’t seen each other in a number of years, they’d run into each other in a parking lot, neither had time to talk, but both wanted to catch up, and they quickly decided to set a time and place to meet. So here we are, two old friends catching up over coffee.
“Man, it’s been a long time—great to see ya, bro! How ya doin’?”
Seriously—do you mean that? You know that’s a loaded question, right?!
“Why? What’s up? I mean, you didn’t tell me much when we ran into each other last week.”
I don’t know…I don’t want to bring you down or anything…
“No, no,…talk to me, brother,…I mean, why else did we get together? I’d like to know,… What’s happenin’? What’s goin’ on?”
Well, I don’t know,… I guess lately it just seems like everything’s falling apart… Alright, why don’t I just cut to the chase! I lost my job a year-and-a-half ago with the company I’d been with for over a decade. I’m having a bear of a time trying to find another stable job. The nest egg’s run dry. The house is in foreclosure—I have no idea where we’ll be able to go once that process is complete. The marriage fell apart—turned out we couldn’t handle the ‘for worse’ part,… I can’t afford health insurance for myself and the kids… The creditors and lenders—and now their lawyers—are calling me non-stop. I’m struggling to fill up the gas tank, and I have no clue what I’d do if and when my car breaks down… But other than all that, everything else is just fine!
“Wow, you’ve got it bad, dude,…no doubt about it! Wish there was something I could do!”
Well, what CAN you do? I mean I guess there’s only one direction you can go from here, right? My luck’s gotta change at some point… Anyway, I don’t mean to be the heavy here. Listen, enough about me now… How’s everything goin’ with you?
“Well, I guess my life’s been a bit crazy as well… I, too, lost my job nearly two years ago with the company I’d been with for close to fifteen years; but you know, this has allowed me the opportunity to explore new, more fulfilling directions where I can have a more positive impact on people and organizations. And my retirement funds have run out as well, but we’ve learned to be happy with far less than we had. And my house is also in foreclosure—but for now, today, we have a roof over our heads, and we’re thankful for that. And I’d gone through a divorce recently as well; but I’m seeing things moving in a better direction for my ex now than while we were married, and for this, I’m thankful! And with health insurance and food and utilities—never thought I’d be saying it, but I truly am grateful for the benefits provided by our government for people like us who find ourselves in hard times! And the banks and their lawyers—I find that I can hold them at bay as long as I take the time to update them on our situation—I mean, it’s not like any of us are alone in that boat! And as far as gas prices, boy, we all feel that pain, that’s for sure; but apart from that, I do make sure to change my oil regularly—and that seems to keep the car chuggin’ along pretty well!”
Well, now, hold on… It looks like our situations are almost exactly the same… So why does it sound so much better when you talk about it?
“Well, I’d say positive thinking, for one thing—but I really believe there’s much more to it than that… You see, what it comes down to for me, my friend, is faith! It’s a gift, faith is—and I don’t know what I’d do without it! But with faith, I also have God-given confidence that nothing can destroy me because I know that God is in control no matter what! And in faith, I have hope that God has some plan, some objective that I am to be part of! And in faith, I have the drive to make things happen with the blessings I do have! And in faith, I have peace, knowing of no better place to be than resting in God’s hands! And in faith, I have the unquenchable desire to seek God’s presence always, everywhere, in all things, continually inspired by the light of that divine presence! It’s not that faith makes life easy, but it sure makes life a whole lot easier to manage and a whole lot more fulfilling!”
Yes, it truly is amazing how much everything depends on perspective.
We are called, all of us, to accept the gift of a faith-based perspective.
In today’s Gospel text, we are called as disciples, to seek, above all things, the Kingdom of God and the divine righteousness. And as long as we maintain that focus, all other needs will be satisfied! We won’t have to worry about being hungry or thirsty or about having clothes on our backs or a roof over our heads—ALL of our needs will be taken care of, IF…IF we direct our faith-based perspective on the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God.
But what does this mean, then, to seek the Kingdom of God and divine righteousness? What should we be looking for? Well, it’s not so much a matter of what we should be looking for as WHOM we should be looking for! The Kingdom of God is at hand—Christ tells us this regularly—and it has nothing to do with castles and moats and towers and radiant, lavish exhibition. The Kingdom of God is at hand, because GOD is at hand! It’s GOD’s presence that defines the Kingdom.
The word ‘Emmanuel’ represents a key understanding in Christian faith—it’s the Hebrew term that means ‘GOD WITH US’… and I tend to look at this idea as not only ‘GOD WITH US’ but ‘GOD AROUND US’ and ‘GOD WITHIN US’ and ‘GOD THROUGH US’… Because if you can accept the understanding as I do that God is the author of life, then the life that each of us has is a gift from the divine Author. Or another way to look at it—God, the Creator, the divine Artist, continually works on us; God carved us out to be who we were yesterday, God has painted us to be who we are today, and God continues to sculpt us into who we will be tomorrow! And regardless of whether we might see ourselves as a book or a poem or a sculpture or a painting, we are, all of us, unfinished works, works-in-progress, that God has marked indelibly with a divine purpose.
And just as God continues to create beyond the rim of our unfathomably unfolding universe, God still continues to create within each of us, individually, and within all of us in fellowship with each other—we ARE children of God! As children of God, created by God, we are, then, reflections of God; so that sense of Emmanuel—the sense of God WITH us, and also AROUND us, WITHIN us, and THROUGH us—rings true, not just in our communion with God, but also in fellowship with each other! Living and growing, guided by a faith perspective, it’s increasingly clear that God IS present here with us now and everywhere, at all times! The Kingdom of God IS at hand!
And as we grow in that presence of God, that deepening sense that the Kingdom of God IS at hand, the quest for divine righteousness, then, naturally follows suit. And Christ expresses divine righteousness in such beautifully simple terms—to love God with all your heart, strength, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself. The natural response to Emmanuel—God’s presence and God’s Kingdom all around us—is to fully love both the Creator and His Creation. Seeing God at work within each other and ourselves allows us to live in the light of divine righteousness.
So this is what it means to seek God’s Kingdom and divine righteousness—Emmanuel and the Great Command to love! Maintain this focus, this faith perspective, and everything else will fall into place—so we’ll have nothing else to worry about again…ever...! Right? No doubt, that would be nice, but life doesn’t exactly work that way. Things happen that are beyond our control—and as well, there are days when even small frustrations will pile up and take us at least momentarily out of our faith perspective.
And this is OK! The journey toward ongoing awareness of God’s presence and living in the light of divine righteousness is not like a day trip to the beach! It’s a lifelong journey, and no one is expected to get this right 100% right from the start,…or even midway, or even toward the end of that journey for that matter. We relapse—we fall back into patterns of worry and despair and fear and frustration because of the fact that life can become overwhelming. This happens to everyone, without exception. Even Jesus, in His perfection, had His moments of anxiety—the Garden of Gethsemane, for example, where Christ prays in anguish, knowing of the pain and suffering immediately ahead of Him… And even Christ had His feelings of abandonment as He cried out from the cross ‘My God, My God, why have You Forsaken Me?’
No, the path of discipleship—the path that allows us to truly see and feel the presence of God all around us and within us and through us…the same path that allows us to embrace the Kingdom of God here and now…and yes, that very same path that allows us to understand what it means to love as God loves—it’s not an easy path. It’s a journey that expects us to be in the world, but not of the world. It’s a way of life that inspires us to focus not on common sense, but on divine sense; and in many ways, this aspect of our faith perspective can even cause us more pain and anguish and frustration than if we chose a more worldly, common sense, everyone-out-for-themselves, dog-eat-dog path. And, just to keep ourselves in check, this worldly sense of what it means to achieve a life of ease rarely translates into true fulfillment, if ever—to be clear, the driving focus that would take us to that life of ease that the world embraces is wrought with so many dangers and pitfalls that by the time we reach that sort of lifestyle, we’ve either emptied ourselves of our souls or filled ourselves up with everything other than God to the point where divine righteousness and the Kingdom of God are no longer at hand.
At the very least, even if taking on a faith perspective and attempting to follow the path of discipleship may not make life easy, it certainly does make life more manageable. But far, far better than that, it can fill us with a sense of divine presence and righteousness that even the hardships we endure become blessings to us as we discover God’s presence, the Kingdom of God, and divine Spirit, the righteousness of God, in deeper, more fulfilling ways. We open ourselves up, in our hardships, to a more profound relationship with God, and a deeper sense of community with each other. THIS is the dramatic difference that is available to us in our faith perspective!
And again, it truly IS amazing how much everything depends on perspective!
We’ll finish out this meditation on today’s lessons with a brief exercise. You’ve probably already seen some strips of colored paper in your pews—the brighter strips say ‘Joys, Praises, & Blessings’ on the end, and the darker strips say ‘Worries, Concerns, & Anxieties’ on the end. Take one of each, if you will, and leave any left over in the pew [for the next service]. And take a pencil (or pen, if you have one), do NOT write down your names on these strips, but write down one thing on your mind for each strip—one thing you’re thankful for on the brighter strip, and one thing that weighs on your heart and mind on the darker strip… Again, no need to write your name... I know of a shared experience from this past week that we can see as both a concern and a joy!
And then, when you’re all finished—and this next part may fall outside your comfort zones a little bit—but I’d like you to pass your strips from the person closest to the side aisle to the person closest to the center aisle, but HOLD ON, WAIT,…as you’re passing them, look into each other’s eyes… See if you can find God’s presence in each other’s eyes… And if you’re feeling bold enough, and if it helps you to find that divine presence, you can say to each other something like, ‘YOU are GOD’s creation’ or ‘YOU are a child of GOD’ or ‘Because GOD loves you, I love you!’ And ushers, if you could walk down the center aisle and collect these strips, we can bring them all—these Joys and Concerns, these Praises and Anxieties, these Blessings and Worries—before God!
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Kingdom of God IS at hand!!! Seek after God’s Presence, God’s Kingdom, God’s Righteousness, in ALL aspects of your lives, and have faith that God will take care of everything else!
Amen!
Still Water Productions
OK, my two cents worth... and I'll try to be brief...
First of all, I've gone ahead and attached the sermon I'd delivered earlier today at church...it went well, focusing mostly on the Gospel text--Matthew 6:24-34. Got good feedback from people as I was greeting them after the service--and I never know how to handle that except to at least say "thanks" and occasionally "all to the glory of God" to those perhaps more ecumenically-minded Lutherans whom I know would be able to handle that response...
Secondly, I'm inspired by the story of Brian the Turtle and, Annie, your further tangentializing on it, and thought,..."Brian, the Hip Hop Snapping Turtle"...sounds so nouveau-Seuss, and quite effectively creating an anti-Myrtle! Challenge posed, then--who would like to create, a la Seuss, a short, poetic, children's story with subtle philosophical undertones about Brian, the anti-Myrtle, Hip-Hop Snapping Turtle? It was a challenge that was first posed to Theodor Geisel years back that propelled him into his career as Dr. Seuss (whose birthday is this Wednesday, btw)! Methinks it would be a good addition to our budding production company!
And lastly, the name of this venture... How about 'Still Water Productions'? Apart from the inspiration that this Minnesota town on the St Croix River evoked out of all three kids and me on our way to and from Grandma's memorial service back in '09... And apart from the notion that this small town would eventually be home to the church/brewery that I (and others similarly-inclined) would like to establish...and further, that Stillwater is not only the perfect location, but also such a fitting name for both a church and a brewery!... Beyond my personal affinities for both the location and the different seeds of inspiration it has planted, the name itself is certainly dynamic enough to soar beyond the obvious theo-/Christological, and master brewing craftsmanship implications... (Annie, call me, and we can arrange a bribe on this...I can probably scrape up some change, at least, from the couch!)
Alright, it's getting late, so time to sign off!
Peace... Emmanuel!!!
Love, Josh
First of all, I've gone ahead and attached the sermon I'd delivered earlier today at church...it went well, focusing mostly on the Gospel text--Matthew 6:24-34. Got good feedback from people as I was greeting them after the service--and I never know how to handle that except to at least say "thanks" and occasionally "all to the glory of God" to those perhaps more ecumenically-minded Lutherans whom I know would be able to handle that response...
Secondly, I'm inspired by the story of Brian the Turtle and, Annie, your further tangentializing on it, and thought,..."Brian, the Hip Hop Snapping Turtle"...sounds so nouveau-Seuss, and quite effectively creating an anti-Myrtle! Challenge posed, then--who would like to create, a la Seuss, a short, poetic, children's story with subtle philosophical undertones about Brian, the anti-Myrtle, Hip-Hop Snapping Turtle? It was a challenge that was first posed to Theodor Geisel years back that propelled him into his career as Dr. Seuss (whose birthday is this Wednesday, btw)! Methinks it would be a good addition to our budding production company!
And lastly, the name of this venture... How about 'Still Water Productions'? Apart from the inspiration that this Minnesota town on the St Croix River evoked out of all three kids and me on our way to and from Grandma's memorial service back in '09... And apart from the notion that this small town would eventually be home to the church/brewery that I (and others similarly-inclined) would like to establish...and further, that Stillwater is not only the perfect location, but also such a fitting name for both a church and a brewery!... Beyond my personal affinities for both the location and the different seeds of inspiration it has planted, the name itself is certainly dynamic enough to soar beyond the obvious theo-/Christological, and master brewing craftsmanship implications... (Annie, call me, and we can arrange a bribe on this...I can probably scrape up some change, at least, from the couch!)
Alright, it's getting late, so time to sign off!
Peace... Emmanuel!!!
Love, Josh
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing
Hey Annie, Jon, Dan,...
Finally, have a few moments to sit down and respond to this excellent dialogue! Busy week, capped off with Tilo performing beautifully at the annual Solo & Ensemble event at school!
Annie, thanks for your initial message. It's always a great exercise to assess our priorities--like the quote Ron Lott often used from Steven Covey--'the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing'! Sharing our appreciation for each other is absolutely part of that main thing in our lives, and though we may not do this enough, I hope you all know how much I appreciate each of you and the inspiration you provide in my life.
And let's extend this to each of our families as well... I thoroughly enjoy the role as Uncle, in part because it doesn't require the parental responsibilities--I've got even more chances to goof around with them than I have with my own!
Your message, Annie, was poignant in a couple of ways in particular. First of all, I was much more conscientious this morning of the physics of snowshoveling as I cleared out a path on our sidewalk (which, in some places, topped 4 feet after the B'11izzard!!)--all of it, very packed snow. Paid attention to muscles and bones and joints and breathing and presence of mind--it was actually quite a spiritual exercise,...incredibly fulfilling! And I took a number of Gatorade breaks to regroup my senses and assess progress. And this was a heckuva blizzard--kept the kids home for 2 days--reminiscent of (but still not as outtacontrol as) the Blizzard of '79!
But what struck me even more--and in line with the subsequent responses from you guys, Jon and Dan--was reliving the last experiences with Joe and Don. It haunts me to this day that I had not spoken with Joe for seven months prior to his death. And this was by no means out of malice or discord--it just hadn't worked out, even over Christmas. I did send him a letter in February '89, but hadn't gotten a response.
The last experience I had with Joe was when we (including you, Dan) had driven down to Champaign for Band Camp mid-August '88. I was dropped off at the Illini Union building with just an army tote bag with some clothes and a shaving kit, a Walkman and some tape cassettes (wow does that make me feel old), my loaner flugelhorn, and the music I was supposed to have practiced during the summer. Dan, you and Dad continued south to Charleston for a reason I know we talked about since, but cannot now remember--I'm not sure I even mentioned that my dorm wasn't going to be open 'til the following morning. I wound up spending the night on a third floor fire escape landing of one of the buildings on the quad... It was a strangely calm sleep before I was awoken by an ROTC group out jogging through the quad.
Also memorable about that time is that we had just come from dinner with you, Jon, and Parul--Dad's first and only meeting with her. And prior to that, we had gone to see the very controversial 'The Last Temptation of Christ' at the Biograph, which was such a surreal experience apart from the movie. There is much packed into that last time spent with Dad--perhaps that was how it was meant to be. But I still beat myself up for not having made more effort to call him since that time.
Then, in full contrast, is the experience with Don. The relationship that he and I had improved dramatically after high school, due to several major factors, which I won't go into here. But up to his death, what drew us so closely together was the shared experience with cancer. When I was diagnosed first, I saw him in such a different light--incredibly giving in so many ways. A very vivid, albeit unpleasant memory, was shortly after my first radiation treatment. I got home from the hospital drained, tried to drink a cool beverage, and it wouldn't stay down. It was Dad who knelt down and cleaned up--and we all remember that he didn't move around so well to easily be able to do that.
Once Dad was diagnosed, it felt like we were both part of this brotherhood, (which, as a survivor, you almost always feel with others who have traveled or are traveling that path). And although I wasn't able to be around all of the time due to school, I'm thankful to have had some of that Summer of '91 with him. And of course, I'll never forget that day he died. Annie, you and I were at Janelle Bickers' house when we got the call. Dad had already been at home under Hospice care for a short time prior. It was a tear-filled drive home from Arlington Heights. We got home and saw him in the bed, his headrest propped up and his mouth agape. It was apparently late enough that we couldn't do anything with his body that night. But the most remarkable thing was the next morning, seeing that Dad's mouth had partially closed into a clear smile--and you knew all was well with him! And I think this was definitely how it was meant to be!
Anyway, again, Annie, thanks for sparking those memories. I don't believe I'd ever really sat down and contemplated both experiences combined like this. Somewhere in there, there's a story to be written--perhaps several; but I'm thinking specifically about the calls notifying me about the deaths...dramatically different, one from the other, but indicative of both the contexts and the relationships.
And thanks also for the Hoppy Makes Happy blog; and Jon, for your journal entries; and Dan, we too are filled with anticipation for once again seeing you & yours this summer!
Thanks everybody. Love from all of us here in Lombard!
Peace... Emmanuel!!!
P.S.-Jon, Andrea and I will see you tomorrow. Go Packers! (or really, NFC North!)
Josh
Finally, have a few moments to sit down and respond to this excellent dialogue! Busy week, capped off with Tilo performing beautifully at the annual Solo & Ensemble event at school!
Annie, thanks for your initial message. It's always a great exercise to assess our priorities--like the quote Ron Lott often used from Steven Covey--'the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing'! Sharing our appreciation for each other is absolutely part of that main thing in our lives, and though we may not do this enough, I hope you all know how much I appreciate each of you and the inspiration you provide in my life.
And let's extend this to each of our families as well... I thoroughly enjoy the role as Uncle, in part because it doesn't require the parental responsibilities--I've got even more chances to goof around with them than I have with my own!
Your message, Annie, was poignant in a couple of ways in particular. First of all, I was much more conscientious this morning of the physics of snowshoveling as I cleared out a path on our sidewalk (which, in some places, topped 4 feet after the B'11izzard!!)--all of it, very packed snow. Paid attention to muscles and bones and joints and breathing and presence of mind--it was actually quite a spiritual exercise,...incredibly fulfilling! And I took a number of Gatorade breaks to regroup my senses and assess progress. And this was a heckuva blizzard--kept the kids home for 2 days--reminiscent of (but still not as outtacontrol as) the Blizzard of '79!
But what struck me even more--and in line with the subsequent responses from you guys, Jon and Dan--was reliving the last experiences with Joe and Don. It haunts me to this day that I had not spoken with Joe for seven months prior to his death. And this was by no means out of malice or discord--it just hadn't worked out, even over Christmas. I did send him a letter in February '89, but hadn't gotten a response.
The last experience I had with Joe was when we (including you, Dan) had driven down to Champaign for Band Camp mid-August '88. I was dropped off at the Illini Union building with just an army tote bag with some clothes and a shaving kit, a Walkman and some tape cassettes (wow does that make me feel old), my loaner flugelhorn, and the music I was supposed to have practiced during the summer. Dan, you and Dad continued south to Charleston for a reason I know we talked about since, but cannot now remember--I'm not sure I even mentioned that my dorm wasn't going to be open 'til the following morning. I wound up spending the night on a third floor fire escape landing of one of the buildings on the quad... It was a strangely calm sleep before I was awoken by an ROTC group out jogging through the quad.
Also memorable about that time is that we had just come from dinner with you, Jon, and Parul--Dad's first and only meeting with her. And prior to that, we had gone to see the very controversial 'The Last Temptation of Christ' at the Biograph, which was such a surreal experience apart from the movie. There is much packed into that last time spent with Dad--perhaps that was how it was meant to be. But I still beat myself up for not having made more effort to call him since that time.
Then, in full contrast, is the experience with Don. The relationship that he and I had improved dramatically after high school, due to several major factors, which I won't go into here. But up to his death, what drew us so closely together was the shared experience with cancer. When I was diagnosed first, I saw him in such a different light--incredibly giving in so many ways. A very vivid, albeit unpleasant memory, was shortly after my first radiation treatment. I got home from the hospital drained, tried to drink a cool beverage, and it wouldn't stay down. It was Dad who knelt down and cleaned up--and we all remember that he didn't move around so well to easily be able to do that.
Once Dad was diagnosed, it felt like we were both part of this brotherhood, (which, as a survivor, you almost always feel with others who have traveled or are traveling that path). And although I wasn't able to be around all of the time due to school, I'm thankful to have had some of that Summer of '91 with him. And of course, I'll never forget that day he died. Annie, you and I were at Janelle Bickers' house when we got the call. Dad had already been at home under Hospice care for a short time prior. It was a tear-filled drive home from Arlington Heights. We got home and saw him in the bed, his headrest propped up and his mouth agape. It was apparently late enough that we couldn't do anything with his body that night. But the most remarkable thing was the next morning, seeing that Dad's mouth had partially closed into a clear smile--and you knew all was well with him! And I think this was definitely how it was meant to be!
Anyway, again, Annie, thanks for sparking those memories. I don't believe I'd ever really sat down and contemplated both experiences combined like this. Somewhere in there, there's a story to be written--perhaps several; but I'm thinking specifically about the calls notifying me about the deaths...dramatically different, one from the other, but indicative of both the contexts and the relationships.
And thanks also for the Hoppy Makes Happy blog; and Jon, for your journal entries; and Dan, we too are filled with anticipation for once again seeing you & yours this summer!
Thanks everybody. Love from all of us here in Lombard!
Peace... Emmanuel!!!
P.S.-Jon, Andrea and I will see you tomorrow. Go Packers! (or really, NFC North!)
Josh
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