what have we become

This breaks my heart in ways I cannot fully express.  What happened to the people of God, being a people of peace?  Lord forgive us for what we’ve done to your body.

Armed guards keep watch over church services

an important reminder by way of music

A King & A Kingdom
by: Derek Webb
from: Mockingbird

(vs. 1)
who’s your brother, who’s your sister
you just walked passed him
i think you missed her
as we’re all migrating to the place where our father lives
’cause we married in to a family of immigrants

(chorus)
my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it’s to a king & a kingdom

(vs. 2)
there are two great lies that i’ve heard:
“the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die”
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

(chorus)

(bridge)
but nothing unifies like a common enemy
and we’ve got one, sure as hell
but he may be living in your house
he may be raising up your kids
he may be sleeping with your wife
oh no, he may not look like you think

——————————-

My own personal independence day was July 3, 1994.

dateline lincoln, ne

722-ish miles down.  1500-ish miles to go.

I’m exhausted.  Perhaps pictures tonight….

won’t you be my neighbor

Today is Sweater Day. What is Sweater Day you ask? On this day in March, 1928, Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers) was born. Today, in remembrance of Mr. Rogers, and the impact that he had on children and the public in general, the city of Pittsburgh (his hometown) is encouraging the public to wear sweaters today in remembrance of him, and his 33+ year career.

I can’t recall watching Mr. Rogers with any consistency growing up, though I do remember on occasion watching the show. Truth be told I always found his puppets a little hokey. But all in all, what I know of the man seems to indicate that he was a model of faith and love.

In 1997 he was given the Lifetime Achievement award at the Daytime Emmy’s. To a silent and captivated audience, his acceptance speech was as follows:

“Oh it’s a beautiful night in this neighborhood.

So many people have helped me to come to this night. Some of you are here, some are far away, some are even in heaven. All of us have special ones who have loved us into being.

Would you just take along with me, 10 seconds, to think of the people who have helped you become who you are. Those who have cared for you, and wanted what was best for you in life. 10 seconds of silence, I’ll watch the time

<10 seconds pass>

Whomever you’ve been thinking about, how pleased they must be to know the difference you feel they’ve made. You know, they’re the type of people that television does well to offer our world.

Special thanks to my family and friends, and to my coworkers in public broadcasting, Family Communications, and this academy, for encouraging me and allowing me all these years to be your neighbor.

May God be with you.”

Fred Rogers, Daytime Emmys, 1997

In honor of Mr. Rogers, I’m wearing my sweater today.

the power of poop, the sweetness of science

Sometimes I am amazed by the things that ingenious people come up with. I don’t have much to say about this that the article won’t convey, other than to say that is people like these that make our world a better place to live in. Behold, MSU may soon begin powering their campus with poop:

Waste may power MSU: Campus considers using human, animal biosolids as energy source

EAST LANSING – Michigan State University officials are working on a deal to keep a possible alternative energy source from being flushed away.

The university is in talks with Toledo-based N-Viro International Corp. to mix solid human and animal waste with coal to make fuel for MSU’s T.B. Simon Power Plant.

The ultimate goal is to find a cost-effective way to reduce MSU’s carbon dioxide emissions, said Bob Ellerhorst, director of utilities at the university.

continued here…

an engineering joke

An optimist says the glass is half full.

A pessimist says the glass is half empty.

An  engineer says the glass is merely twice as big as it needs to be.

hello wordpress

Please be patient while I figure out whether or not I want to stay here…