It was a slow Sunday morning for me. I wasn't able to make it to church this morning so I'm alone in a quiet house, nursing my hurting legs and drinking good coffee and reading.

Someone emailed and expressed surprise that I hadn't commented on the debate Friday night. I guess I don't have much of anything to say...honestly, I was bored to tears. And whereas I usually enjoy the post-debate commentary, this time it gave me a headache and I turned it off early. The move in the polls concerns me...I'd like to say I don't understand Obama's appeal, but sadly, I do. The kind of voter we are producing in this country is moved by emptiness, by faulty logic, by promises of something for nothing, by centralized government control of the economy (read: everything), by the idea that it's right to take away your money and give it to me, and most disturbingly, by disregard for precious human life before and after birth. Why wouldn't they like Obama? What's not to like?

And didn't you love the ad claiming that McCain is probably going to die of cancer while in office? Or the one that claims he doesn't know how to email, when the truth is that pain and immobility from war wounds keep him from using a keyboard? Weren't those great?

Well, moving along to happier thoughts...we're even closer today to the recovery plan bailout plot that will keep us all from knowing, for a couple of years, just how dangerous it is to have government involved in helping deserving people buy homes they can't afford. It's been a house of cards that has stood high for way longer than it would have except for the cloak of secrecy and deception that has protected it. Now we can go on down the road with our blindfold securely in place, since Congress is going to shield us from the unpleasant consequences for a bit. Until it gets worse. But hey, if both Bush and Obama are in favor of it, it must be right, huh?

I think at one point I gave Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth a very high recommendation. I won't be doing that for the sequel, World Without End. The graphic and completely gratuitous sensuality, combined with an attempt to project a 21st century "sensibility" of feminism into 14th century England is pretty nauseating. It still has a lot of good material on the medieval church, social customs, feudalism, and economics...but not good enough to wallow through the mud for. Skip this one and go for Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror.

We're the proud owners of a new basketball goal, for maybe the third time. It's a visible testament to the fact that our two youngest are boys and that we have five grandsons who live in town, not to mention lots more boys who frequent our driveway...and if I had to guess I'd say there's a good chance that some of the girls who are here on Fridays are going to enjoy it too!

In the meantime, I've been checking out season tickets for the San Antonio Symphony. I'm torn between being cautious, given the uncertain economy, and the desire to indulge myself in this rare pleasure. This year's concerts look almost too good to resist....and this on top of the fact that we have one of the most delicious theatres in the country in which to enjoy them!

If you're interested in the continuing problem of reverse discrimination and inequities in hiring, especially in academia, read Marty Nemko's post, This I Believe.

Since it was a day that I missed hearing a sermon, I particularly appreciated running across this quote this morning. Seems that since the fervor experienced by The Passion of the Christ has worn off, many folks are looking for a "cleaner," more "positive" theology. Mark Driscoll, in his book Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches, reminds us:

The curious paradox of the atoning death of a bloody Jesus rising above the plane of human history with a mocking crown of thorns is that he is offensive in an attractive way. It is the utter horror of the cross that cuts through the chatter, noise, and nonsense of our day to rivet our attention, shut our mouths, and compel us to listen to an impassioned dying man who is crying out for the forgiveness of our sins and to ask why he suffered. Tragically, if we lose the offense of the cross, we also lose the attraction of the cross so that no one is compelled to look at Jesus. Therefore, Jesus does not need a marketing firm or a makeover as much as a prophet to preach the horror of the cross unashamedly.

Amen.

Labels: Books, Devotional, Kids, Music, Political Observation, Social Observation, Sundays