Guns in America

Mass shootings have become commonplace today. We feel tapped out of horror and sympathy. Some simply accept this crimewave as the new normal. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives Americans the right to keep and bear arms. But an armed population must be a responsible population.

Twice this week homeowners have shot innocent people who mistakenly came to their homes. What has happened to our society? It only takes a few criminals with guns to make us question the wisdom of an armed populace. 

If citizen gun ownership becomes illegal, then government will tend more rapidly toward tyranny. Oppression could be right around the corner. 

We have a uniquely American dilemma. Guns were used in the founding of our nation. And guns have been almost romanticized in our history. But now guns, or some with guns, are eroding our general sense of safety. Schools, businesses, even our homes may feel like potential crime scenes.

How can we make peace with guns?

A Life-changing Trip with Jesus

There's a famous story in Mark 6 about Jesus and his disciples. After they fed the 5000, Jesus sent his disciples away in the boat, while Jesus went up the mountain to pray. As the disciples fought to row against the wind, Jesus caught up with them, walking on the water. Of course they were scared, freaked out. He tried to calm their fears, then climbed in the boat and the wind immediately calmed. When they arrived at the shore, another crowd was there, waiting for Jesus.

I try to imagine what the disciples were experiencing. When they began their boat excursion, they had just witnessed a miracle of multiplication. Five loaves and two fish became 12 basketfuls of leftovers, after more than 5000 people ate their fill. Then they are fighting, straining, to row into the wind, when Jesus casually strolls alongside the boat. When he gets in the boat, the straining is over, and they smoothly sail to the shore. 

The disciples who began that voyage were different men when they came ashore. While meditating on the meaning of the feeding miracle, they observed this man defying the laws of nature. Jesus was no ordinary man. No wonder the crowds wanted to see him.

When these tired disciples rowed onto shore, and when the crowds surrounded them, they had new energy to serve the crowd and love them. The disciples had witnessed the glory of Jesus, and this made all the difference. 

When I experience the glory of Jesus, he helps me meet life with energy and joy.

Altared State of Mind

Lent feels different to me this year. Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. Some years I do some sort of fast, some years I don't. And fasting can be very helpful for spiritual growth and awareness. You can fast from food on certain days, or certain types of food for all 46 days of Lent. Or you can fast from screens, or shopping, or social media, or breaking the speed limit.

The purpose of fasting is to enter into an altered state of consciousness. It's a way of getting on God's wavelength, of seeing things from his point of view. It's a way of seeing yourself more deeply and seeing the world more compassionately. Through self-denial, you can put yourself on the altar, and see things through the loving, sacrificial heart of God.

This year during Lent I plan to use the Examen Prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola every day. It's simple way of reflecting on life and relationships. I want to enter more deeply into that altered state of mind and offer myself as a living sacrifice.

As Lent begins, I also marvel at the work of God now at Asbury University. A revival has broken out there. It began as a student confessed his sins to his peers in a small group. Somehow the Holy Spirit led other students to seek the face of God in worship and praise. A profound sense of the Presence of God permeates the campus. People describe it as an overwhelming sense of peace.

More than ever we need Christian believers to surrender humbly to the Lord. It's not them who need to change. I need to change. I need to see how God wants to bring me along. He needs to show me how destructively I miss the mark, in my attitudes, my habits, my assumptions, my actions.

It takes time for God to get through to me. He's been working on me for over 60 years, and I feel like I've been such a hard head. I want to offer the Lord an "altared" state of mind, so that maybe he can help me walk with Jesus and become more like Jesus. He identified with me when he died on the cross. I want to identify with him as we approach Easter.

I want to reflect on the Lord, his love for me, his sacrifice for me. He needs to change me. I have to listen to him and be with him. When Christians receive and respond to the soul-shaking love of Jesus, his kingdom comes. May his will be done.

Cardiac Arrest on the Field

I was casually half-watching Monday Night Football last night when there was an injury timeout. Nothing unusual about that. After the commercial break, the player was still on the field. Another commercial break. This turned out to be an extraordinary event. In a very short time, no one cared about the game. All that mattered was the life and health of Damar Hamlin.

This might be the day that changed football. 

For a few years, I've had this growing discomfort with football. I've always enjoyed the sport. I don't think I missed one game while I was in college. I had fantasy football teams for a few years (but I was not really good at it).

The sport has become more violent because athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster. They train, work out, and eat solely for the sake of football. Even the improved helmets and stricter enforcement of penalties--like roughing the passer--cannot stop serious injuries. Seems like there is a flag on every other play. Concussion protocols help prevent reinjuries, but players still get hammered.

But when you take a step back and really look at this sport, it can seem really strange. Here are grown men, using brute strength and careful strategy to push around other grown men. Rules govern the pushing and tackling, but it is inherently a violent sport. Coaches work to fire up their teams and get adrenalin pumping. Anger can be a powerful motivator. 

These men willingly do this, and the professionals are paid handsomely for their trouble. But they put themselves in harm's way for our entertainment. We cheer on the hits. We marvel at the athleticism. A few years ago a friend told me that she would not watch the NFL anymore. Although she loved the sport, she felt like the players were gladiators and she could no longer be a party to the spectacle. 

Neurologists tell us that the human mind does not develop a full understanding of risk until age 25. (It's no wonder that Olympic gymnasts are all younger than that.) Hamlin is 24. He, according to neurological science, does not yet have the capacity to evaluate the level of physical threat to his body.

But we cheer on these young men, because it's fun to watch.

Andrew Luck shocked the world of sports when he retired from the NFL before turning 30. Luke Kuechly did the same thing. 

As Bengals and Bills stood in tearful, prayerful silence last night, surely they were thinking, "That could have been me." Maybe they saw for a moment how little football matters. In terms of world history, even the most monumental sports feats will be mere footnotes. In 100 years no one will care. But maybe they will care if Damar Hamlin survives.

It will be interesting to see if attitudes toward this sport change, among athletes or fans. 

Last night's game will not soon be forgotten. But I expect we will still watch the Super Bowl.

Auld Lang Syne

In just a few hours, we will be moving on to 2023. And I have a confession to make: I don't know the words to Auld Lang Syne. 

I looked them up, and I mostly recognize them. But, wow, we don't talk like this anymore. In my exhaustive research of about 5 minutes, I have determined that this was originally a Scottish folk song. And the language resembles what we think of as English. 

As far as I can tell, this is a conversation between old friends, sharing a drink and reminiscing. Sharing our hearts deepens our relationships. And reflecting on life helps us know ourselves. 

New Year's is a time to think about what life is all about. It's a time to get beneath the daily grind, and see what the grind is yielding. Is it worth it? Do we like who we are becoming? Are our relationships becoming more healthy? Are we learning from our hardships? Are we becoming more kind or more harsh? 

Take a cup o' kindness with a friend, and share your heart. You might slow down enough to wake up.

https://www.wesh.com/article/lyrics-to-auld-lang-syne/42373384

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne.

CHORUS

For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne.

We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!

And surely I'll be mine!

And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes

And pu'd the gowans fine

But we've wander'd mony a weary foot

Sin auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

We twa hae paidl'd i' the burn

Frae mornin' sun till dine.

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

Sin auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!

And gie's a hand o' thine!

And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,

For auld lang syne.

REPEAT CHORUS

Should old acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

And long, long ago.

REPEAT CHORUS

And for long, long ago, my dear

For long, long ago.

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For long, long ago.

And surely youll buy your pint-jug!

And surely I'll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup of kindness yet

For long, long ago.

REPEAT CHORUS

We two have run about the hills

And pulled the daisies fine;

But we've wandered manys the weary foot

Since long, long ago.

REPEAT CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

From morning sun till dine;

But seas between us broad have roared

Since long, long ago.

REPEAT CHORUS

And there's a hand, my trusty friend!

And give us a hand of yours!

And we'll take a deep draught of good-will

For long, long ago.

My Favorite Podcasts

I love learning and understanding, so the podcast tsunami of recent years has given me a lot to drink from. I listen to podcasts while emptying the dishwasher, riding down the road, weeding the garden, or working out. I gravitate toward info about the Bible, farming, business, science, and culture. So here are some podcasts I enjoy. Let me know your favorites, too!

Radio Lab

I like science, and these hosts playfully engage with fun questions about science.

 

The History of Rome

Host Mike Duncan takes you through the story of Rome, from the myths and legends to the fall of Rome in the fifth century. This is an old podcast, with a whopping 179 episodes, but it was good. I was so ignorant about Rome, this filled in lots of gaps for me.

 

Freakonomics

As an econ major in college, I like economists’ objective analysis of data. Not all economists are boring.

 

Gospel in Life with Tim Keller

In his sermons, Pastor Tim Keller digs into the scripture, often sharing deep insights that I have never heard.

 

Word of Life Church with Pastor Brian Zahnd

In his sermons Brian gives deep insights with his study of history and early church fathers. He gives me more appreciation for the church calendar.

 

Stetzer Church Leader podcast

Ed Stetzer interviews guests, often authors of recent books, and finds ways to apply new ideas to church life.

 

Carey Nieuwhof Leadership podcast

Carey interviews guests and brings guiding insights for leaders, including church leaders.

 

Bear Grease

Clay Newcomb digs into fascinating history about hunting and pioneers. While his episodes about straight-up hunting don’t interest me, I loved his biographies of Daniel Boone and Holt Collier.

 

Another Name for Everything with Richard Rohr

Two of Rohr’s disciples pick Fr. Richard’s brain about his ideas of the Universal Christ. I don’t always agree with Fr. Richard, but I respect his sincere love for Jesus.

 

The Bible Project

Yeah, this is probably my favorite podcast. I found it early in 2022 and I have listened to hundreds of episodes. Dr. Tim Mackie, a Bible scholar, and Jon Collins, a curios Bible student dig into the Bible as literature. “We believe the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus.”

 

Exploring My Strange Bible with Tim Mackie

Mackie served as a teaching pastor for a number of years, and this is a catalog of his sermons.

 

Thriving Farmer podcast

Sometimes there is good stuff on this podcast, and I really need to learn more about farming. It often digs into topics that are not relevant to me, but I like their bias against using chemicals.

 

Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm tells good stories and always includes some unexpected angles. I like his books, too.

 

Hidden Brain

Shankar Vedantam interviews authors of books about the mind. Seems like humanity is just beginning to understand how we tick.  I have learned a lot about how my own brain works.

 

Norsworthy

Luke Norsworthy playfully engages his guests about deep topics. Some weeks he gives his own “rants,” some weeks he talks to old friends, and he often interviews authors. He has a gift for putting his guests at ease and asking them challenging questions.

 

This American Life

I haven’t quite figured out the vibe of this podcast, but it is one of the most well-established shows available. Some weeks the stories are great, sometimes I skip them.

 

On Script

This is a very Bible-nerdy podcast, and sometimes it has great content. It doesn’t always have the energetic tone that grips the listener, but it has some good stuff.

Ukrainian Victory

The war in Ukraine has surprised the world.  Russia is probably more surprised than anyone. Putin apparently expected to crush the Ukrainian resistance in short order. Even the U.S. offered to help Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy flee his country. He declined, vowing to fight the invaders and restore peace to his country. His bold defiance of Russian aggression has inspired his people.

Reports today indicate that Ukraine has retaken from Russia 100 towns and villages in just 10 days. The Ukrainian soldiers are fighting for their homeland, for their families, for what is right. The Russians are fighting for a dictator who sanctions torture and destruction.

So Ukraine has truth and justice on their side. This inspires their population to fight. 

But fighting changes us. If Ukraine has been a peaceful people, they have been forced to change. They have to think in terms of violence, deception, and brute strength. I wonder if the necessary Ukrainian resistance will permanently change Ukrainian culture. 

When a society leans into violence, the heart of their culture shifts. They learn to rely on guns and force as a means of survival. When this war is over, the Ukrainian people will not be the same. Of course fighting evil is better than surrendering to evil. But they must also resist the temptation to solve future problems with the use of force. Too often humans come to embody the very evil they fight. 

I cheer for the defiance of the Ukrainians, but I hope they can restore the peaceful soul of their nation.