Father/son "Team Hoyt" was stopped one mile short of the finish line of the Boston Marathon because of the bomb blasts which interrupted the event. They had thought this might be their last one; it was their 31st running. This morning I saw an interview with Dick who says they'll be back next year.
Dick will be 73 in June. He pushes his severely physically disabled son Rick in a wheelchair when they run. They have competed in over one thousand marathons and triathlons in the past 36 years. A remarkable father's love has made this possible. I invite you to search out their story to read the details, but here's a link to a video which features the inspiring pair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqe77-Am3w
As a country, we would do well to not focus on the evil which has always been present in the world, but on the love which overcomes such evil.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Jesus Wept
A toddler died in a house fire this week in a neighboring community, the tragedy made even more difficult by the circumstances surrounding the fire. The heartbreak of the family is unimaginable. The anguish of the emergency responders and of law enforcement officials and others on the scene is painful to witness, as they are overcome with emotion. Dealing with death is always difficult, but the death of a child leaves many of us struggling with how to react more so than usual.
Some situations are so difficult for our minds to comprehend or process that we are left without words to express our sympathy and sorrow. In such cases, I know only to follow the lead of Jesus when he arrived at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. Jesus used few words. He did offer comfort to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, but the words he used as recorded in scripture are words that only Jesus the Messiah could have and should have said. Instead, Jesus wept. There is no shame in weeping. Often it is the best and only thing we should do.
Some situations are so difficult for our minds to comprehend or process that we are left without words to express our sympathy and sorrow. In such cases, I know only to follow the lead of Jesus when he arrived at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. Jesus used few words. He did offer comfort to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, but the words he used as recorded in scripture are words that only Jesus the Messiah could have and should have said. Instead, Jesus wept. There is no shame in weeping. Often it is the best and only thing we should do.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Unfriendly Business
Because I have not been particular about accepting requests in the world of Facebook, I have friends in the realm of social media from different political persuasions and religious backgrounds. It's been a fascinating discovery process. In the beginning of my Facebook journey, I thought it would be interesting, maybe even fun, to exchange ideas and express differing opinions about politics. To be reminded how we, those of us who are Americans, have so much to be thankful for and how there are core values on which we agree, common ground, if you will. Silly me for thinking that.
What I have found is that some of my "real life" friends who hold different political views and who happen to cross over into the world of social media aren't interested in thought-provoking conversations or finding common ground. They are interested in posting one meme after another blasting whichever "side" they oppose. And they quickly fall into personal attacks and name-calling when anyone questions where they have obtained their information or dares to disagree. Not in all cases, mind you, but common enough that anyone who is reading this will know exactly what I'm talking about.
I have recently discovered I have apparently lost a Facebook friend over one comment I made on one of her posts a few weeks back. I'm not on Facebook enough to know I had been "unfriended," but I realized when I saw her at an event a couple of days ago, I have evidently been unfriended in the world in which we live and breathe. After I got the cold shoulder from her when I saw her, I checked Facebook, and sure enough, we are no longer friends. This is a woman I've known for at least 20 years, gone as a friend because I dared question a negative political comment she made. That seems like a shame doesn't it?
Interestingly, this unfriending business is not a problem with my friends of different religious backgrounds. Some of my friends do not identify themselves as Christians, and yet, they are much more tolerant, reasonable and pleasant than many of my Christian friends who lean toward a particular political persuasion. Recently, a Christian friend of a friend said it was "just plain truth" that I have a "manipulative liberal mind." I actually thought that was pretty funny, especially in the context of the conversation, but she wasn't laughing.
I've been pondering the solution, and even though it seems like the coward's way out, rather than unfriending I'll be hiding many "friends" from my timeline. I imagine my posts are hidden from many timelines already, so we will have effectively unfriended each other and now all we're doing is helping Facebook gather our personal information for its own gain.
I've never thought friendship was of great value if all we do is tell each other what we want to hear. Friendship seems like it is a way to grow and learn and find camaraderie. For sure there will be our good friends with whom we do agree on most things, but friendship and civility are possible, even when we don't agree on everything. And for those who call themselves followers of Jesus, that kind of friendly unity isn't really a matter of choice; it's a command, regardless of where we stand politically.
What I have found is that some of my "real life" friends who hold different political views and who happen to cross over into the world of social media aren't interested in thought-provoking conversations or finding common ground. They are interested in posting one meme after another blasting whichever "side" they oppose. And they quickly fall into personal attacks and name-calling when anyone questions where they have obtained their information or dares to disagree. Not in all cases, mind you, but common enough that anyone who is reading this will know exactly what I'm talking about.
I have recently discovered I have apparently lost a Facebook friend over one comment I made on one of her posts a few weeks back. I'm not on Facebook enough to know I had been "unfriended," but I realized when I saw her at an event a couple of days ago, I have evidently been unfriended in the world in which we live and breathe. After I got the cold shoulder from her when I saw her, I checked Facebook, and sure enough, we are no longer friends. This is a woman I've known for at least 20 years, gone as a friend because I dared question a negative political comment she made. That seems like a shame doesn't it?
Interestingly, this unfriending business is not a problem with my friends of different religious backgrounds. Some of my friends do not identify themselves as Christians, and yet, they are much more tolerant, reasonable and pleasant than many of my Christian friends who lean toward a particular political persuasion. Recently, a Christian friend of a friend said it was "just plain truth" that I have a "manipulative liberal mind." I actually thought that was pretty funny, especially in the context of the conversation, but she wasn't laughing.
I've been pondering the solution, and even though it seems like the coward's way out, rather than unfriending I'll be hiding many "friends" from my timeline. I imagine my posts are hidden from many timelines already, so we will have effectively unfriended each other and now all we're doing is helping Facebook gather our personal information for its own gain.
I've never thought friendship was of great value if all we do is tell each other what we want to hear. Friendship seems like it is a way to grow and learn and find camaraderie. For sure there will be our good friends with whom we do agree on most things, but friendship and civility are possible, even when we don't agree on everything. And for those who call themselves followers of Jesus, that kind of friendly unity isn't really a matter of choice; it's a command, regardless of where we stand politically.
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