Nov

5

Hallelujah.

Filed Under general, Messiah College Philadelphia Campus, Democrat, government, faith, Barack Obama, celebration | 2 Comments

I’ve been trying for the last twenty-five minutes to pound out some profound words on my laptop, balanced as it is upon two legs that would rather be running through Grantham carrying my screaming, jubilant body. Tonight was one of the most memorable nights of my life, a brief four-hour window populated by laughter, tears, […]

Nov

1

(Ob)noxious fumes.

Filed Under general, Republican, Democrat, government, politics, Sarah Palin, SALT House | 6 Comments

We got kicked out of the house briefly last week, after a huffing old fellow from Maintenance came over and opened up our basement door and found a low-hanging cumulus cloud of black smoke swiftly wafting up from the abyss. We grabbed a smattering of possessions and headed out into the cold, where Public Safety […]

Sep

28

I can’t help but watch. And wait.

Filed Under general, me, Republican, government, politics, Sarah Palin | 4 Comments

Full disclosure: I have developed a morbid fascination with Sarah Palin, and I hate it. I constantly read about her, constantly talk about her. Channel surfing the other day, I found myself inextricably drawn to her televised speech to the folks in Media, Pennsylvania. Like most otherwise sentient liberals, I know I shouldn’t be so […]

Apr

19

Father, Father, Father—help us.

Filed Under general, Philadelphia, government, Christianity, learning, grace, politics | 4 Comments

One of Anne Lamott’s favorite prayers is “Help me, help me, help me.” It is a plea that has certainly entered into my own repertoire since I moved to north Philadelphia: not just because my mother fears for my life on these mean (or, in my own mind, merely disgruntled) streets, but because almost everywhere […]

Apr

16

“In the face of suffering, there is no doubt in my mind that God calls us to respond.”

Filed Under general, Democrat, government, Christianity, theology, Hillary Clinton | 2 Comments

Until about four months ago, I was a die-hard Hillary Clinton supporter. I’d always been a fan of Barack Obama since his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, but Hillary had something compelling about her strength, her determination, her ability to move successfully and progressively within the confines of the (inevitably corrupt) U.S. political […]

Mar

4

We have our beliefs, but we don’t want our beliefs. God of peace, we want you.

Filed Under general, Messiah College Philadelphia Campus, government, Christianity, theology | 1 Comment

This morning in Practical Theology of the Urban Church, a class I find occasionally boring and more-than-useful in my current intentional setting, a guest speaker from Palmer Theological Seminary shared about the early church and the pacifist roots of Christianity. Drawing on the writings of post-apostolic theologians of the second, third, and fourth centuries — […]

Oct

24

What my own apathy has wrought.

Filed Under general, Republican, Democrat, government, Christianity, Garrison Keillor | 5 Comments

I understand that it’s rather a cop-out to blog about somebody else’s blog, but I’m a vigilant reader (and long-time fan) of Garrison Keillor. I get my mid-week fix (his equally great radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, is on Saturday nights) by reading Keillor’s column, “The Old Scout.” It’s available on the APHC website […]