I made this for a label to some beer I homebrewed a while ago.  I'm not an artist but I think I can be clever, or at least cheeky, every now and again.  Though the beer may be gone, the inspiration lives on.  If you're familiar with Federal Vision or the Theopolis Institute, you might get the joke.  If not, enjoy the balloon and Pooh.

Selma Snub doesn't mean anything

The biopic of Martin Luther King Jr. named "Selma" was not awarded an Oscar nomination for 2014.  The outrage is that all of the directors, actors, and actresses that were awarded nominations are white.  The general consensus is that a bunch of old white people in Hollywood are 'not with the times' and are still racist old bigots.  Now I'm not taking the time for journalistic integrity to cite the examples I've read over the past several days but hey, I'm not a journalist and am not getting paid for this and don't have the time required to write a professional quality piece.  If you doubt me a quick search through the opinions on the issue will yield sufficient results.

Much of the sentiment seems to be that at the very least Ava DuVernay should have been awarded an "honorary" nomination for best director or the film nominated for best picture to show the significance of the subject matter.  Hopefully Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Dream' is being realized and people are being judged by the content of their character, and by extension, their abilities.  If the movie, it's actors/actresses, or director are not worthy of an Academy Award nomination, then they should not receive one, regardless of their skin color.

In the post-racial world, there cannot be "honorary" or token anything to include racial diversity in anything.  People must be judged according to their own merits at all times and not according to their skin color.  If a group of people is without color diversity, then let it be because that group was best served by those people.

To finalize my point I'll ask this question: "Could a white man (or Asian, or Hispanic for that matter) portray MLKjr in a film and be socially accepted?"  I think not.  There's some practicalities to observe since most of MLKjr's public life revolved around his battle for racial equality.  To give a real example though, I am a massive, gigantic fan of Idris Elba.  Ever since "The Wire" I've tried to watch much of what he does.  Luther is good too.  Mr. Elba was cast and performed as Heimdall in both "Thor" and it's sequel.  The catch is that Heimdall is the steroetypical viking with hyper white skin, and blond hair.  Idris Elba is black.  He also performed amazingly and I can't imagine another actor, regardless of skill level, doing a better job.  I've chosen to let his performance shine above his skin color, as have many.  Hopefully this is what happened with Selma, and not what everyone fears.

5 "words" I wish didn't exist

The english language is constantly changing but it does not always change for the better.  In preparation for the coming new year I propose that we delete these five commonly used words from the english language.

5. "gender stereotype"
Though not technically a single word this phrase is used as a single word daily by many people.  The war against "sex" (gender) is waged behind the lines of this word.  Simply say that you're overthrowing gender stereotypes and then act like you've said a magic word to assure victory and justify whatever you want to say.  Gender stereotype is overused, used incorrectly, and without a true understanding of what is the "stereotype" that needs overthrowing.

4. "k"
The absolute most senseless text message ever sent.  In our modern age there should be some feature on the phone that lets you know that the message has been read.  I hate getting these at the end of a texting conversation.  If anything else, let's at least do the work to write out "okay."

3. "twerk"
Speaks for itself.

2. "cosmic"

As amazing discoveries and advances is science, particularly in astronomy, are being made, our awareness of the greatness of Creation is becoming clearer.  But outside an astronomy reference "cosmic" should not be used.  It's vernacular usage is generalized to mean "all humanity" or "all of everything."  We've reduce the splendor of the universe for a simple rhetorical device.  Let cosmic once again refer only to the cosmos and not spiritual things at large, nor of the magnitude of those spiritual things, e.g. "cosmically."

1. "meta"

Many don't even know what this word is yet but those that do use it frequently.  Meta is an abstraction used to complete another abstraction, often self-referencing.  Translation: vague time vague equals ME!  The popular example is when a film is about people making a film.  Even more so if that film being made inside the film is about the film industry.  Meta, in the greek etymology, means "after" but has been expanded from a synonym of "post" to the vaguery of what it is today.  If there is one thing we do not need in the English speaking world it is less precision in our speech.

Harry Potter revisited

I've been listening to the Harry Potter audiobooks at work for the last couple of weeks. I'm almost done with the series. First time going back through the books since the initial reading years ago. There are two important thoughts I have thus far:


1. JK Rowling had an exceptional vast world already built for the first book, including major series plot developments. I respect her much more as an author now than I did before (she was always a good story teller). I'm goingto have to read The Casual Vacancy now.

2. Despite the major themes of racial acceptance and valuing people for their worth JK Rowling is remarkably prejudice against "Slytherin House." She groups all of them together into a stereotype and never takes time to elaborate on individuals beyond the demonizing (or Death-Eater-izing) of all Slytherins. Slughorn fights on the right side in the end and Snape has an empathic and redemptive backstory but no one else from Slytherin House is ever spoken of positively. Even "he-who-must-not-be-named" is elaborated upon in a way that does create some empathy for his situation with vast explorations into his childhood. JK Rowling surprises me with this in view of her extensive work on valuing and loving people in the books.

Not by my strength

There's been a lot going on in my life the last couple of months.  I won't bore with details but suffice to say that my burdens have increased and are heavy.  At first it was hard, then my burden increased to the point I had to live by faith and was not able to rely on my own strength.  Then it was easy, for a time.

Now as the trials continue, and will not be lifted soon, a new temptations and struggles have arisen.  It has become apparent to me that one of the many lessons God is teaching me is to simply "man-up" and stop being a little whiny kid about things.  It may sound harsh to say that but it's the standard progression of the lesson on living by faith that I'm being taught.  The temptation with the lesson of "manning up" is to be strong with your own strength.  God has grown me into a man and I have the ability to, by a sheer force of personality, to dominate the situation, regain control, and begin solving or bettering the situations that are currently burdens.  The problem is, that is not the lesson God is trying to teach me by manning up.  God sometimes uses the strength He has given men to work for His good but it is God's modus operandi (M.O.) to use the weak and not the strong.  God using the weak magnifies His glory and not the glory of the creation (man).  The world would have me cast away my burdens or to turn these 'weaknesses' into strengths.  I have enough strength to do that, but that is from the world's wisdom, and not from God's.

Here are ways that I am to grow in regarding living by faith (no particular order):

1. Release control of certain situations, particularly where I am not the major party involved.  I am not the only one God is entrusting with burdens or experiencing suffering because of sin.  I should not try to hold things together by my own strength.  My control of many situations is a feint masking #2.

2. Be with out anxiety in all things.  I want control and do not have it.  I cannot be honoring to God with out taking rest in His providence.  This does not mean I am to be with out concern or to be indifferent or apathetic.  It means that I may not fear things that are out of my control but must be at ease because God loves me and will care for me, even if I can't immediately see it.

3. Pray more.  I simply do not pray enough.

4.  Bear others burdens more.  "One-anothering" is prominent in the New Testament.  Suffering, sacrifices, and trials make clear the blessings already obtained and open the door for many new ones.  Who am I, with all my blessings, to not share them and pour them out to others?  There is much more room in my life to help others with their struggles and to help bless them.  I have been given great examples by my church family and now am with out excuse.

5. Listen more.  This may sound easy but it's more involved then just a time burden.  It's not about letting someone talk then walking away but it's about actually hearing them speak, engaging in what they're saying, and desiring more.  Love, as taught by Christ, is sacrificial.  Listen, and don't just wait for my turn to speak, or my chance to get up and leave.  Also, to listen and hear what they're trying to say and not just what the words were.

6. Speak truth more.  When it is time to speak, I need to not be shy or fearful of saying what is true.  This sometimes means saying words that hurt and words that cannot be taken back.  Sometimes truth is a wedge dividing and not a rope binding.  Simply knowing truth and not speaking it is to not know truth.  For example, it is not enough to know the Gospel, if I am unwilling to tell people about it.

7. Work harder.  God has given me much work to do but has not lengthened the day at all.  I must work harder to get it all done, and I must get it all done.  This is true not just with the day job, but with all forms of work be it home maintenance, discipleship of brothers, visiting with those that need visiting etc.

8. Be joyful.  A man who is saved by grace and serving at the pleasure of the King in Heaven will not be sad.  There is a time for sorrow and a time for joy and my time for sorrow is passed.  Being joyful can take work sometimes and it is often challenging work but making the decision to be joyful is much of the battle.  Laugh harder, longer, and more often.  Smile a lot and be willing to let go of the sad things to hold on to the blessings I have been given.

From Teddy Roosevelt

"Thus it is for the undersized man of letters, who flees his country because he, with his delicate, effeminate sensitiveness, finds the conditions of life in this side of the water crude and raw; in other words, because he finds that he cannot play a man's part among men, and so goes where he will be sheltered from the winds that harden stouter souls." - Theodore Roosevelt talking about Henry James the author.

On why Millennials don't buy homes

I posted the following in the comments section under a news article about young people renting instead of buying on wthr.com

http://www.wthr.com/story/25118656/2014/03/31/young-people-still-renting-instead-of-buying

I bought my first house this past year (right after my 27th birthday.  After college I've tried working out of state, working 3 part time jobs after a stint of unemployment (while living at the parents house), renting an apartment and renting a house.  I still work a part time job in addition to my full time "career" now just to help make sure that the bills can be paid.
I find two reasons why Millennials are living at their parents house and not buying their own.  The first is that my generation has decidedly less grit than previous generations.  We take the easiest path regardless of whether it's the best path.  Why buy when you could rent and not have to worry about maintenance or keeping savings to replace things?  Why rent when you could stay for free/cheap at a place that's already comfortable, familiar, and gets you free food/laundry services?  The second is that we actually do make less money and have more expenses.  I was talking to my grandfather (83 this year) and he remarked that when he bought his first house (still lives there by the way) that one full paycheck was within a dollar or two of covering the mortgage.  He thought that his mortgage was high and that most peoples weren't that high.  We both own 3 bedroom brick ranches with full basements.  We have comparable jobs as electricians too.  Wages just don't go as far anymore.  Not to mention I have student loans on top of all my other payments (which most Millennials do, because we were told that College was the promised land).  If I didn't work a second job I wouldn't be able to afford food.  My paycheck just doesn't go as far, regardless of how tightly I keep my budget.
I have neither wife or kids nor any of the traditional reasons to buy a house but I did for two reasons.  First, I knew that housing prices and mortgage rates were about as low as I'm going to see them and if I wanted to one day own a home I should do it now, regardless of my "comfort" with the risk or how much work I knew it was going to be maintaining a home.  Second, it was time for me to grow up and act like a man and carry my share of the burden in the community and in my church.  The house isn't exactly how I do this but it is a sign that I've chosen to be a responsible adult and not a kid anymore.
The economic situation will continue to get better and, though it's more painful, it's healthier if it continues to heal slowly (more stable that way).  Hopefully the struggles my generation is facing now will help us to build the grit necessary to be strong later in life.  Other than that I don't know how we fix the problem for the next generation