Patriots Day and Boston Sports

Boy, I wish I were in Boston for Patriots Day (or the day it is celebrated). Aside from the historical significance of this holiday, there is much to appreciate it from a sports perspective, especially this year. Of course the Boston Marathon is a huge draw. (Too bad I'm an old man with a gimpy knee, or else I would join the field.) It looks like there was a pretty close finish today.

The Sox, of course, come in a close second in terms of importance. Today in downing the Rangers they completed a sweep at home. Way to go, Buchholz! Up next, Beckett faces the Angels and SP Weaver.

The Celtics last night proved their regular season dominance was no fluke as they crushed the Atlanta Hawks. Who would have thought a year ago that the Celtics would be co-favorites--along with the Pistons--to make it to the finals?! Even more surreal is the fact that they stand a good chance of meeting the LA Lakers if they do. What is this, the 80s all over again? Should both of these storied franchises indeed meet again in the momentous finals, I will be hard-pressed, as a traditional Lakers fan with new Celtic sensibilities, to decide who I want to win. A nice problem to have, nonetheless.

Well, I guess that's it. Oh wait, could it be true, could the Bruins really be jealous enough for some of the limelight so as to do something about it? Perhaps. At least they've already done the improbable as an eight seed in the playoffs--coming from behind 3-1 to tie the series 3-3 and force the one-seeded Montreal Canadiens to the brink of elimination. While it's not likely they will in fact upend the dominant team north of the border, there's still hope. After all, it is Patriots Day (kinda).

The Fence Fell

Here's a very interesting poem by Erich Fried that we read in our German class:

Versuchung

In Nachbars Garten

wiegt sich der apfel am Stiel

"Still, Stiel!"

"Still stiehl!"

Ich hielt mich an

an dem Zaun

und der Zaun fil.

Viel fiel.

Ich hielt mich nicht mehr im Zaum.

Im Garten

baumt sich die Schlange

unter dem Baum.

A rough translation, rendered, of course, with the aid of our prof., reads like this:

Trial (or Testing)

In the neighbor's garden

the apple swayed on the stem.

"Silent, Stem!"

"Silently steal!"

I held myself

on the fence [i.e., in check]

and the fence fell.

Much fell.

I held myself in check no more.

In the garden

the serpent "treed himself"

under the tree.

The play on words in this poem is a central feature. There's the similarity at the beginning b/w Stiel ("stem") and stiehl ("steal," imperative); the comma in the 3rd line indicates an address to the stem, whereas the absence of one in the 4th line suggests, instead, a command given to a separate entity to "steal silently (adverb)."

Further on the poet playfully employs a common expression (apparently) in German "on the fence," which figurately means "hold oneself in check," in close proximity to "the fence fell," presumably to illustrate the inexorable consquences resulting from a breakdown in self-restraint. As the fence down, "much [else] did (Viel fiel)."

In the end, the snake "treed himself (baumt sich) [presumably an invented verb by Fried]" "under the tree (unter dem Baum)." Thus, what was the neighbor's garden at the beginning, seems now to be the serpent's. Perhaps?

Anyway, I find this poem at the same time fun and haunting and very worth pondering.

Man Who Grew Roots

I just saw this video of an Indonesian man "who grew roots." I can't imagine how difficult his life must have been. Happily, it seems that he may have a chance of recovery after doctors recently performed a series of operations on him. Here's a fuller story on the man and his disease. Apparently,

"Dede's problem was that he has an extremely rare immune system deficiency, leaving his body unable to contain the warts. The virus was therefore able to "hijack the cellular machinery of his skin cells", ordering them to produce massive amounts of the substance causing tree-like growths known as "cutaneous horns"."

Boston and Seafood

Our trip to Boston didn't exactly turn out the way we had planned. P. made two trips to the ER, was virtually confined to a room for the trip, and was forced to cancel her interviews. However, I am so thankful that we made it through a very trying time and am very grateful to our hosts R. and A., who were so kind to us in feeding us, giving us rides, and attending to all our needs. Their cute son provided much additional entertainment. He's quite an accomplished guitarist, as seen in the picture below. When he plays he taps his foot on the ground. It's hilarious.

Though our trip to Boston was nearly a wash, we did have a fun time the first few days. On Monday night we spent time with our awesome friends Keke and Jade in the North End. They introduced us to The Daily Catch, an unassuming restaurant with scrumptious seafood; they also have branch in Brookline.

Here Keke and Jade demonstrate the proper way to eat calamari.

P. had a cool dish: ground squid served over noodles died with squid ink. I like how it's served in the pan in which it's cooked.

My mussels weren't half bad either.

Bad and Good

Still bummed about this. But baseball season is in full swing and this cheers me up.

Boston--Friends and Food

It's already been a great couple days since landing in Boston. We are staying with our wonderful friends who are housemaster's at MIT; I'm hoping just by being here that some of the brain power will rub off on me. Seeing them and other friends at church and for lunch has been nice.

Also, we've had two great--all-time favorite--dishes since being here, Pho and Jombong. I've greatly missed these so I'm still savoring them in my belly. Sigh.

Stuck on a Toilet

It's been a while since I last posted. Been busy proofreading a commentary on 2 Peter and Jude, writing curriculum for the 8th graders, and studying German. Fun stuff.

Anyhow, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to link to this story appearing in the local Columbia Tribune. It's about a woman in Kansas--next door to Missouri, for you Northeasterners--who was found stuck to a toilet. Enjoy.

More Buechner

"Almighty and everlasting God,

Only speak to us that we may hear thee. Then speak to us and yet again so that when in our hearts we answer thee by saying No, we may at least know well to whom we say it, and what it costs us to say it, and what it costs our brothers, and what it costs thee.

And when at those moments that we can never foretell we say Yes to thee, forgive our healfheartedness, accept us as we are, work thy miracle within us, and of thy grace give us strength to follow wherever love may lead.

We bless thee for him who shows us the way and is the way and who will be, we pray, at the end of all our ways. Grant that even on stumbling feet we may follow him into the terrible needs of the human heart. Remember us. Remember us. For thy mercy's sake.

Amen."

Life's Presents

Here are some penetrating words from Frederick Buechner's "The Sign by the Highway":

"The old saying is that where there is life, there is hope, and I think that the hope that there is, the hope that if not tomorrow or the next day, then some fine day, somehow, life will finally give us the present which, when we open it, will turn out to be the one that we have waited for so long, which is the one that will fill the empty place, which is the peace that passeth all understanding, which is the truth, salvation, whatever we want to call it.

But one by one, as we open the presents, no matter how rich and wondrous they are, we discover that no one of them by itself, nor even all of them taken together, is the one of our deepest desiring--that ultimately, although her face is beautiful and draws us to her, life by herself does not have that final present to give. And to know that is the pain of it as again and again we reach out our hands to life for what we need most deeply, only to have it seized in the terrible grasp."

Philippians 1:12-18, Part 4

So the situation that faces Paul is proclamation of Christ for very different reasons. The implied question, then, is what does he think of the fact that some people may be engaging in preaching activities for such base reasons (“What then?” v. 18a). His response reveals his single concern: As long as “Christ is proclaimed . . . I rejoice” (v. 18b). What is especially interesting about this section (vv. 12-18) as compared with the former one (vv. 3-11) is that here Paul seems to take a pragmatic approach in focusing on the end result—the announcement of the news about Christ—whereas there Paul was very much interested in the internal lives of the Christians.

We could draw the wrong conclusion from this observation and say that Paul is simply a pragmatist, intent on Christianizing. However, what this observation really points up is the fact of God’s sovereignty evident in his working through less-than ideal circumstances. Above it had been Paul's imprisonment and the hostility of the palace guards; here it is the twisted motives of some of the insiders, fellow Christians. And Paul’s response is key here as well, for he determines, first, to recognize God’s working, and, second, to rejoice in it, even when as now it means a level of discomfort for himself.

Earlier I mentioned that Paul holds himself out as a model and that is part of the reason why he shifts from concern for the Philippians to excursus on his own circumstances, and then back to matters involving his recipients in 1.27. In this context it is notable that Paul resolves to rejoice in every circumstance here (1.18) and later states his desire to remain in the flesh for the “progress and joy in the faith” (1.25b) of the Philippians.

Essentially, Paul wants this group of Christians to reach the same state of being able to find their wholeness of meaning and fulfillment in glorify of Christ that he himself enjoys. He is not merely stroking his ego and singing his own praises, but is showing his young converts how to orient themselves in the midst of adverse circumstances. The repetition of “I will rejoice” in verse 18b is a bridge that allows Paul to draw a theological conclusion to his experiences above as well as to begin a brief new section (vv. 19-26/30?) that links the apostle and his experiences to his church at Philippi.

Notes of Interest

William F. Buckley died today. Read about him here.

And aren't you glad you're not Roger Clemens right now? Word is that the Justice Deptartment is going to investigate him. This is in addition to, now, the FBI and IRS. Ouch.

Academy Awards

Today's bible class went halfway okay. I just cannot understand these kids. Somedays they're rowdy, others indifferent, and still others attentive (to a point). It doesn't seem to matter how much I prepare; the result is always unpredictable. All I can do is thank God when class goes as smoothly as it did today.

We caught only a little of the Oscars last night--and that's not a bad thing. I will say, though, that I'm pleased with a couple results. Granted, I didn't actually watch There Will Be Blood, but I'm glad nevertheless that Daniel Day-Lewis won an award. I think he's a terrific actor and he has starred in two of my all-time favorite films: Last of the Mohicans (which I will argue--unpopularly--is better than Braveheart) and In the Name of the Father. I could watch these movies over and over again. They are both so emotionally compelling.

Also, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won for their song "Falling Slowly" in the terrific movie, Once, which I posted about a while back. Poor Marketa--she got cut off by the music just as she was beginning to follow up Hansard's remarks with a "thank you" or two of her own. P. and I were so happy with this win that we went on iTunes and bought the whole soundtrack to the movie. See the film if you haven't.

Philippians 1:12-18, Part 3

The passage gets especially interesting in the next few verses as Paul elaborates on the proclamation of most of the “brothers” (14a) by laying bare two different types of motives. What’s important to remember—and what’s especially instructive for what it teaches about God—is that Paul is still describing the advance of the gospel. This is not a detour.

Possibly as some of the Philippians had heard (a conjecture on my part, but see “indeed,” v. 15a) Paul had rivals within the community of Christians. These brothers do speak the word about Christ’s lordship but do so for very wrong reasons—out of a spirit of envy (v. 15a). Two verses down, Paul delineates their hopes even further: Such envy and rivalry motivates them to “proclaim Christ” and they do so “not sincerely but hoping to afflict me in my imprisonment” (17b).

Was their aim to bring additional physical punishment upon Paul because somehow he, as leader of this band of Christians, was held accountable for their activities? Or in his imprisonment were they seeking to stage a coup and usurp his authority and thus cause him mental anguish? It’s difficult to say. What can be said, though, is that unless they enjoyed some exemption, the evilness of their motives must have been pretty outstanding so as to cause them to risk their own torture, imprisonment, and death just to harm Paul. This makes Paul’s response to the situation below all the more remarkable.

[Does this group correspond in any way to those who, in chapter 3, Paul condemns for their confidence in the flesh? (There Paul explains the absurdity of such ill-placed hope.) If so, his rhetoric has sharpened its bite by shifting from a reference to “brothers” here to “dogs” (3.2) in that chapter.]

The other group of brothers are those who, for Paul, serve as the proper corrective to those preaching out of rivalry. This group preaches out of love (v. 16a, for God? for Christ? for Paul?). Before their own egos they put their love of God and trust for his plans: They understood that Paul had been chosen to “defend the gospel” (v. 16b). Unfortunately, even when it comes to announcing Christ’s salvation and lordship and serving the purposes of his kingdom, we can let ego get in the way.

In thinking of my own life it’s sobering how often screwed up motives lie behind what outwardly seem like good activities. Sometimes I act out of guilt, sometimes out of a sense of mere responsibility, sometimes, like those mentioned above, because of envy. Paul notes here that not all the "brothers" have good intentions at heart. But in defiance of those who would seek to afflict him, Paul observes that God's will is still being done, since Christ is being made known. God is sovereign.

NY Times Strategery

Ha ha. I couldn't help but laugh at Drudge's astute (ok, obvious) observation about the NY Time's 2008 presidental strategy: "Now That He's Secured Nomination: NYT Downloads on McCain." That's it, endorse McCain and then slam it. Here's the article by the Times. Enjoy.

If I was running for president, I think I would want the editors of the "Paper of Record in this Country" (as Chris "Hardball" Matthews likes to call it) running my campaign. Joe Scarborough thinks the Times piece may in the long run end up helping McCain by galvanizing the base. Already Hannity and others are rallying behind the "maverick." In the long run? I'm not so sure.

On a happier note, no teaching today due to "hazardous driving conditions." So hazardous that I will drive much farther to get to my German class this afternoon. Who's complaining, though? Certainly not I or my apathetic students!

Philippians 1:12-18, Part 2

A second proof that the gospel is truly advancing is also somewhat puzzling and involves the activities of Paul’s fellow Christians. It occurs to me that Paul may be referring to other Christians imprisoned like him, but I’m not sure. At any rate, seeing Paul’s boldness, others are spurred on to preach about Christ (14). Fear no longer inhibits their activities. It is easy to see how this could be the case when we think of times in our lives that we’ve been scared to do something we still in some way thought valuable.

All alone, we may lack the courage to move forward even though our minds may be convinced of its ultimate value, yet give us a few like-minded individuals, and together we may gain the boldness required. Such boldness does not simply seize the other believers because of “[Paul’s] imprisonment (14)]” but on account of the way the apostle continues to pursue Christ’s glory in the midst of it. A good question is what does it take for a Christian to reach this point where all else pales in comparison with winning honor for Christ? Paul speaks more of this later in our passage.

Philippians 1:12-18, Part 1

I love this passage for what it shows about God’s amazing creativity and providence in the way he accomplishes his purposes. And let’s not forget, as well, what it reveals about Paul’s whole-hearted fixation on the glory of Jesus Christ.

There is a definite shift in focus from 1:11 to 1:12. In the previous section Paul had concentrated on the faith of the Philippians and concluded with a prayer on their behalf. Here, Paul shifts to his own experiences and does so in a way that, one, casts in sharp relief the sovereignty of God and, two, holds himself up as a model of behavior for his young disciples.

We see first that God’s ways are subversive and thrilling. Whereas one would have expected that the opposition of the Roman authorities and the local leaders would have brought a halt to the proclamation of this rebellious following of Christ as king, instead, the apostle argues, his own imprisonment has advanced the message and its fruits (12). So right off the bat we see a contrast between what is expected and what really happens.

That God should perform his most marvelous work in the midst of—or rather, through—adversity should come as no surprise, however, since Jesus’ own crucifixion evidenced the victory of God over sin and death. When we season our hearts with this truth we come to a new appreciation of the trials in our lives and of the fact that God orchestrates such events to accomplish his aims.

The results of this advance—or perhaps the clarification of it—are two-fold. Only someone as committed as Paul is to proclaiming Christ could be enthusiastic about the first one, for it likely means further suffering for himself. As a consequence of his imprisonment, the “imperial guard” come to know that the reason why he is in prison is because he is pronouncing someone other than Caesar as Lord, namely, Jesus who is the Christ (13). It would have been hard for someone asserting what Paul was to hide from the authorities.

Now, it’s possible that Paul means to suggest that some of the imperial guard respond to his message with acceptance of his claims. More likely, I think, is that Paul is simply indicating that his message became crystal clear to a group of people who had other allegiances. This hits me hard as I tend to regard acceptance as success in God’s economy; acceptance often drives the way I even discourse about Christ’s claims to allegiance. Here we see at the very least, though, that in one sense the announcement itself is evidence of success. For God is pleased when the message about Christ rings forth. And sometimes, as it does with Paul here, this occurs in situations of great conflict.

Lent

UPDATE:

Three days in and still no coffee. I'm amazed. It feels weird, I must say. I go through the day with more of the even temperment, although I do get a bit moody toward the end of the day as the tiredness becomes most acute. Who knew that life without coffee would be so, well, boring?



This is what I've given up for Lent this year:

It's only 10:30 and my head is already throbbing. I'm in trouble.

Voting

Dang it, I thought every vote was supposed to make a difference. Instead McCain, er Huckabee, wins Missouri. At least I got a nice sticker that says "I voted." Sigh.

Football and Politics

I'm in mourning after last night's Pat's defeat. It's hard for me to contemplate, actually, why it was so stunning, given that I was not a big Patriot's fan until last year. The empty feeling in my stomach does not compare to the Sox defeat to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS. Now that was bad.

Oh, yeah. And I have yet to decide who to punch the ballot for in tomorrow's primary. I'm halfway leaning toward Romney simply because I'm getting pissed off at the media for annointing John McCain the Republican nominee prematurely. I did just get a telephone call from an Obama supporter. Usually the animus felt in our home toward telephone solicitations would cause me to react in a negative manner, but I have to say, the lady was very nice and not that pushy. Of course, I still won't vote for him, but my admiration for the man increases if it is legitimate to infer something about him from his supporter.

Music to Deaf Ears

I heard this incredible piece on NPR yesterday morning. Parts of the story are omitted but can be heard on the link provided.

Paul's Prayer (Phil. 1.9-11), Part 2

The immediate goal of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians is that an increase in love will lead to the ability to “approve that which is excellent” (10a). As the word here has the original sense of “that which is different,” Paul seems to be referring to a separate quality altogether, not merely gradations of “good.” The gospel of God as a belief and life commitment is starkly different than any other cause the world has to offer. Paul wants his young believers to embrace those things that belong to this message of grace in a way that their lives are swallowed up by it.

What this looks like, I think, is difficult to quantify. I give mental ascent to the teachings of the gospel but hardly excel at a life determined in every way by its dynamic and true character. As I read this chapter, the section following (vv.12–26) allows Paul the opportunity to hold up himself as a model for the Philippians; in his whole-hearted dedication to the cause of the gospel, one sees what it means to “approve what is excellent” and not be sidetracked by comfortable distractions characteristic of ordinary life.

The ultimate goal is that they be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (10b). This is when Christ as Lord comes to execute judgment and vindication, whatever the case may be. As salvation has become synonymous with heaven and thus rescue from this world in many Christian formulations, it is easy to overlook the emphasis on God’s glorification in us, and to focus simply on ourselves . Paul points out, however, that blamelessness begins and ends with God: (A) The attitudes and actions that typify it come about only as a result of Jesus’ prior and continued work (11a), and (B) the objective of such a transformed life is glory and praise quite appropriately being given to God (11b); after all, God is the one who initiated the “good work” in their lives (6).

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1.9–11 provides a good snapshot of the life transformed by God’s work in the gospel. I’m not sure it completely describes me, as I cannot honestly say my affections are whole-heartedly directed toward God-honoring pursuits; nor can I say a driving force in my life is seeking to be found blameless when Christ appears again. And while I can acknowledge that whatever good springs forth from my life is solely attributable to Jesus’ work, I am more likely to want to leverage that as credit in my favor than to perceive it as fruits produced for the glory of God. I fall far short. I can only hope that one day I’m able to mimic Paul’s attitude expressed in his hope that “now as always Christ will be honored in my body” (1:20).

Textual Criticism of the Qu'ran?

Here's an interesting article in the Asia Times Online regarding textual criticism of the Qu'ran. Some may have already heard of this, but allegedly ancient manuscripts of Islam's holy book were hidden away, and are only now resurfacing and available for scholarly scrutiny. Spengler notes:

It has long been known that variant copies of the Koran exist, including some found in 1972 in a paper grave at Sa'na in Yemen, the subject of a cover story in the January 1999 Atlantic Monthly. Before the Yemeni authorities shut the door to Western scholars, two German academics, Gerhard R Puin and H C Graf von Bothmer, made 35,000 microfilm copies, which remain at the University of the Saarland. Many scholars believe that the German archive, which includes photocopies of manuscripts as old as 700 AD, will provide more evidence of variation in the Koran.

Why is the presence of variants in the Qu'ran significant? After all, in biblical manuscripts countless variants are known to exist. Again, Spengler:

No one is going to produce proof that Jesus Christ did not rise from the grave three days after the Crucifixion, of course. Humankind will choose to believe or not that God revealed Himself in this fashion. But Islam stands at risk of a Da Vinci Code effect, for in Islam, God's self-revelation took the form not of the Exodus, nor the revelation at Mount Sinai, nor the Resurrection, but rather a book, namely the Koran. The Encyclopaedia of Islam (1982) observes, "The closest analogue in Christian belief to the role of the Koran in Muslim belief is not the Bible, but Christ." The Koran alone is the revelatory event in Islam.

This article is especially interesting for what it proposes as an explanation as to why Germans circa World War II contrived to keep such manuscripts shrouded in secrecy. (HT: Dan Reid via Evangelical Textual Criticism)

Noonan on the Civil War(s)

Here's another good election analysis by Peggy Noonan. Great stuff. Here's a highlight from the article:

There are many serious and thoughtful liberals and Democrats who support Mr. Obama and John Edwards, and who are seeing Mr. Clinton in a new way and saying so. Here is William Greider in The Nation, the venerable left-liberal magazine. The Clintons are "high minded" on the surface but "smarmily duplicitous underneath, meanwhile jabbing hard at the groin area. They are a slippery pair and come as a package. The nation is at fair risk of getting them back in the White House for four years."

That, again, is from one of the premier liberal journals in the United States. It is exactly what conservatives have been saying for a decade. This may mark a certain coming together of the thoughtful on both sides. The Clintons, uniters at last.

Australian Open

I've really enjoyed watching the Australian Open this year. Really, it's all because of the names. In the women's semis it was Sharapova vs. Jankovic on one end and Ivanovich vs. Hantuchova on the other. This was somewhat disappointing because I was hoping for ova vs. ova and ovich vs. ovich. Oh well, can't always get what you want. Hantuchova nearly beat out my favorite Ivanovich; the silver lining would have been an all ova final. However, reportedly Ivanovich's squeaky shoes distracted her opponent and gave her the comeback win. Now since Maria Sharapova topped Jankovic we'll have a squeaking vs. grunting final and be able to determine once and for all which ending is better, ovich or ova.

Paul's Prayer (Phil. 1.9-11), Part 1

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1.9–11 builds theologically upon his pronouncements of solidarity with the church. The “and” (v. 9) can almost be seen as a “therefore” since Paul seems to be saying that his confidence concerning God’s work in the Philippians’ lives is really what causes him to pray as he does. Though I tend to be a poor pray-er, usually what does motivate me to pray for fellow Christians is a remembrance of how Christ is active in their lives. For Paul this connection is profound.

Paul’s prayer is very specific and is thereby an antidote to my often vague expressions of well-wishes. Interestingly, we see here a coupling of two concepts—love and knowledge—that we are likely to view as separate concepts: the whole heart versus head mentality. Paul holds them together when he requests that God cause the Philippian church to increase in their love “with knowledge and discernment” (9).

“Discernment” perhaps makes clear that knowledge here is not the exclusive dominion of the head but involves the will and decision-making. While my habit is to crave knowledge for the purpose of self-aggrandizement, or at least self-assurance, Paul desires that these saints increase in their affection for God, through the means of a moral understanding that mere information cannot provide.

Peru--I hear it's lovely this time of year

It's probably pretty lame to post pictures of someone else's vacation, but that's what you've got to do when you love to travel but have no money to do it, so here goes. My brother and sister-in-law are on a business/pleasure trip to Peru and they sent some photos.

Below are a couple of images from Machu Picchu. Evidently it wasn't the clearest day, yet the pictures are neat nonetheless.




And here's a picture of what my brother ate for lunch while down there. Unfortunately, it's not much different than the rats he normally consumes, (except a little bigger). I especially like the sides.

Pats Win!

Congratulations to the Patriots, who win yet another AFC title. Now that the Cowboys are out of the playoffs I can wholeheartedly support the Pats in their run to cement their dynasty with a superbowl win to cap off an already perfect season. Sure, Belichick is a jerk, but I can look past that. I'm sure Vince Lombardi wasn't a sweet guy all the time. Cheers!

Stakes in Michigan

Here's an interesting article by Steve Kornacki on the stakes involved in the Michigan republican primary (HT: Real Clear Politics). I think he's likely spot on with his analysis of the result of a McCain win:

McCain, meanwhile, would be ideally positioned to gobble up broad support from the G.O.P.’s rank-and-file masses in the next wave of primary and caucus states. They may have lukewarm feelings for McCain, but they feel no more affection for the rest of the G.O.P. field. And many of them are anxious to stop Huckabee, whom they see as a certain November loser. By getting rid of Romney, McCain would be able to lay claim to these Republicans, which in turn would make him the runaway favorite in Florida and most of the big states that will vote on February 5. He also has a fighting chance in South Carolina, which will vote this Saturday, where he and Huckabee now run even.

Overall, Kornacki and others are seeming to embrace the idea that a McCain win would simply the Republican nomination process, while a Romney--or Huckabee for that matter--win would spawn chaos. Here's his ultimate scenario should McCain lose, one I heard from a McCain supporter on TV earlier today (no coincidence, I am sure):

But even then, it’s doubtful the Republican race would be settled on February 5, raising the legitimate possibility of a brokered convention—a stunning prospect for a party famous for settling its nomination fights with speed and order.

Electoral politics is about strategy just as much as substance, so it's certainly not out of hand to raise such a hypothetical, but I'm not so sure that a Romney win would inexorably lead to a brockered convention. Should McCain lose--and perhaps worse than expected--momentum that had been going McCain's way could shift again toward Romney and this, on top of a strong showing in South Carolina, could bode well for the former Massachusetts governor and remind Republican faithful of their ambivalence toward McCain.

Our New Nephew

We went to my brother-in-law's to meet their newest addition to the family and our newest nephew. Here's a video of him with my father-in-law, S. He was told that if he removed his shirt his grandson would be more responsive to him. I know, it sounds weird. It seemed to work, though, as our nephew didn't really open his eyes much until he was laid against the bare chest.




And here's P. with her new nephew.



Oh, and he's only two days old.

Scot McKnight on Infant Baptism in Calvin's Institutes

Scot Mcknight has been posting his reflections on Calvin's treatment of infant baptism. Such thoughts are helpful to me as my old church is Presbyterian, my wife grew up Presbyterian, and I have many Presbyterian friends. I, on the other hand, grew up in a baptist church and attended Baptist seminaries. (To be clear, McKnight is referring to Calvin's views, not necessarily infant baptism as a legitmate practice.)

Here are his posts (not yet completed): Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Huckabee and Evangelicals

The NY Times has an article on how Mike Huckabee's candidacy is splitting evangelicals. Check it out here.

The Mysterious Butt Abscess

This will make for hilarious congressional hearings. How embarrasing. Poor Roger.

New Hampshire

Interesting result coming out of New Hampshire's primaries. The Republican outcome, if you consider the polls in the few days preceding the casting of ballots, wasn't a huge surprise. Unfortunately for Romney, it was significant reversal considering he had put so much energy into campaigning there.

What will be fascinating to see is how the Iowa and New Hampshire results carry over to the rest of the primaries. One commentator reckons Romney for dead, given that the candidates overall strategy seemed tied to his doing well, that is, winning, in the two early states. However, someone else remarked that we might see a lot of "one hit wonders," Huckabee in Iowa, McCain in New Hampshire, etc., before it becomes really clear who will be the frontrunner. This assessment is attributed to the supposed lack of any die hard conservative candidate who can command wide acceptance as the nominee to go up against the Democratic nominee, who will certainly be on the far liberal side of the party.

As for the Dems, it's the conventional wisdom is that older women and Republicans are celebrating today after Hillary's victory. The question is, though, how did she win after momentum seemed to be going Obama's way after Iowa and polls seem to corroborate this feeling. Daniel Finkelstein lays out 6 possible explanations to Hillary's "comeback" win over at the Times Online (HT: Pajamas Media). Which do you think is most likely?

Reflections on Philippians 1.3-8

1. Paul prays for others a lot. I don't think the opening sections of his letters are a mere formality. Here he begins by claiming to give thanks "to my God in every remembrance of you" (3). The following phrase, I think, either explains when he gives such thanks or the means he uses. He says "always in every prayer of mine on your all behalf, I make my prayer with joy" (4). It's one thing to be thankful of another person or persons in the course of our daily lives, as many of us are; it's quite another matter altogether to invest considerable effort in expressing thanks to God as Paul seems to do. Why is this so tough?

2. For Paul, one's consistent identification with the gospel is evidence of God's hand at work in a person's life. Paul gives thanks for the Philippians "because of" their partnership "toward the [goals of the] gospel from the first day until now." Even when things got tough, the steered toward a course charted by the gospel message. I think Paul is not just talking about affirming the truth of the gospel, but committing to a way of life that is determined by the gospel.

Because the Philippians have exhibited such consistency in their dedication to gospel living, Paul is able to say with confidence that he is persuaded that "the one who began a good work" in the Philippians "will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (6), which is simultaneously a day of deliverance and judgment. Consistency in life commitment to the gospel evidences the reality of God's work in a believer's life.

3. Paul's confidence in and affection for the church is not built around some superficial connection but rather in their identification with him in advancing the gospel. Paul explains (7) that it is right for him to feel this confidence ("this way"--could point back to Pauls' thankfulness (3), but I'm taking it here with v. 6) because he holds them in his heart because they are "partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel" (7). He expounds on this by calling upon God to witness to his true yearning for them, yearning with affection which "proceeds (or has its origin) in Christ Jesus" (8).

Does my life bear witness to a consistent commitment to the goals of the gospel?

How can I more consciously and proactively live out the truths of the gospel and identify (and parnter) with causes and activities and people that seek to further the gospel's redemptive work in our world?

Theology Weekend

I'm really excited about this. The first week of February Thomas Schreiner is coming to participate in a series of events, involving lecture, debate, Q & A, and homily. This will be an awesome time for anyone exploring the significance of Jesus--whether you're a Christian or not. Though very learned, Schreiner is humble and approachable, which, I think, will make the Q & A time enjoyable and will keep the debate substantive and good humored.

Weekend Movies

We watched a couple good movies this weekend. Normally, it's rare for us to watch two movies in a week--and I never can understand it when I go into the video store and see people checking out a whole stack of movies; what's up with that?!--but P. gave me the freedom to choose what to watch and I couldn't decide between two so, guess what, I rented them both. I was feelin' crazy!

If you haven't seen Reign Over Me, check it out. Adam Sandler pairs up well with Don Cheadle in this anything but funny movie. Okay, it does have a few funny parts.

And tonight, we saw Once, a modern musical as the back of the box describes it. I had heard about this film back in Boston and was further interested in viewing it since I had heard it was set in Dublin. It's really a fantastic film. Very fun. And amazing considering that neither leads really had any acting experience prior to shooting this film. Good thing they can sing. Actually, the lead actor is Glen Hansard of The Frames. Oh, and in keeping with the location of the film, I decided to have a nice Black and Tan which I made myself. Turned out pretty nice, huh?

Thanks for holding the glass, honey.

Noonan On Iowa

An interesting take on the Iowa caucus results can be found in Peggy Noonan's editorial here. I especially love her lines regarding Obama :

His takedown of Mrs. Clinton was the softest demolition in the history of falling buildings. I think we were there when it happened, in the debate in which he was questioned on why so many of Bill Clinton's aides were advising him. She laughed, and he said he was looking forward to her advising him, too. He took mama to school.

Dems in Iowa

Reports indicate that Obama has brokered a deal with Richardson for second choice votes "in caucuses where the New Mexico governor can’t clear the threshold for competition." That might be a lot of caucuses. (HT: Politico)

If Obama picks up Richardson and Kucinich voters like this, it looks like he might run away with Iowa, leaving Hillary, can you believe it, in third place. However, Cooper over at the Huffington Post notes that much of Obama's projected support relies on the young vote, which is notoriously all talk and no show. And Edwards and his supporters are clearly hoping those silly young'uns stay home to get an early start on their weekend kegger.

Nephew and Niece

Probably the best thing about going home for the holidays was the opportunity it afforded P. and I to visit our nephew and niece, J. and J. Aren't they cute?

CSI and Relationships, Part 2

Warrick has the tendency like some of us to try to internalize all his struggles and usually ends up spiraling out of control because he has no healthy vent for the angst he feels. Having just been separated (divorced?) from his wife, he's experiencing all kinds of emotional pain, on top of which he's had a bad day at work. In order to "stay on top of his job" Warrick starks popping pills to keep alert. Enter Nick, who noting that Warrick has also been downing pills so he can sleep through the night, seizes the pills and discards them in the trash, prompting a near heated moment between the CSIs (friends?). Warrick tells Nick to mind his own business but the latter refuses to back down and let Warrick handle his problems in his own way. It's really fairly riveting because of their near fight but also because Nick becomes very emotional (nearly tearing up) and because Warrick finally recognizes that Nick is right and essentially admits his need for help.

What strikes me about this encounter is how true to life this episode is. Many of us do try to cope with problems--or bury them--by turning to addictive agents (chemical or otherwise); we resist calling out for help, even to the point of lashing out at those who come to our aid. Strangely enough we have an acute awareness of our problems, which cause us to turn to all kinds of "cures," but we are extremely upset when someone else, even (especially?) friends, acknowledge our problem and need as Nick does Warrick's. In fact, our actions seem to suggest that we don't really want friends to be the sort that know the deepest recesses of our hearts.

Also interesting to me here is Nick's involvement both because of what he does and what it demonstrates about his character. First, he doesn't care how Warrick wants (on a superficial level?) him to respond, but rather how Warrick needs him as a friend to respond. Nick realizes that real love should compel him to reach beyond the sort of help that the drugs provide--insofar as they really act only to temporarily dull and distract from the pain--and intervene in illuminating the real problem. (Granted, Nick really only shows Warrick that he has a problem and needs to avoid the abusive relief that the medication might provide, and he doesn't go much beyond this; but this is, after all, only television, so what can we expect.) Second, we see that what at times seem to be a character flaw in Nick--his annoying habit of empathizing with those involved in cases he's investigating--here shines forth in a heroic way. He is relentless in his concern for Warrick even up to a willingness to come to blows.

As a Christian committed to Jesus Christ, I have to ask myself whether I've forged friendships with others seeking to walk the same path of obedience that are equally committed as Nick and Warrick's is, as illustrated in this episode. What does this even look like? Being bound to Christ in my estimation also means being bound to others who are also bound to him. This involves us in a mutual commitment to seeing God's kingdom evinced in our lives and sometimes, perhaps under only very specific circumstances, this might require that we intervene in very uncomfortable ways--and possibly against our brother/sister's desires--out of love. I'm not sure that I either engage my Christian friends with such accountability or allow myself to be thus engaged. How is such a relationship forged, I wonder, and what biblical principles invigorate it?

CSI and Relationships, Part 1

I'm a big fan of CSI--really, my wife and I both are--the original, CSI, that is. We do enjoy CSI New York from time to time but almost never watch CSI Miami, which, in my humble opinion, is awful. Sometimes, P. doesn't want to tune in even to the original CSI because of the disturbing nature of some of the crimes. I hate to miss the show on the other hand.

What really draws me in to the show--even above the crime solving--is the personalities and relationships that have developed throughout the show's running. Above all CSI characters, I would have to say I most enjoy Warrick Brown and perhaps this is because I feel like I can sort of identify with his flaws, including his struggle with addiction in various forms (a prominent addiction for him has been his attraction to gambling). A fellow CSI, Nick Stokes, has his own unique character traits, one of which is his very personal approach to his job, which sometimes gets him into trouble. Nick has a tendency to empathize with those close to crimes; sometimes this blinds him to potential manipulation and causes him to underestimate the enormity of evil that can reside within the human heart. (Being buried alive, though, has a way of curing this.)

[One question that comes to mind when watching a show like CSI is how representative are such shows in depicting characters and relationships as they really are? Perhaps CSI is not a favorite, but are there any other programs out there that do a particularly good job of focusing on such matters?]

What's been particularly enjoyable and thought provoking of late has been to watch the way relationships among the CSIs have developed over time. One specific episode really struck me powerfully because of its implications for relationships in general and in particular for relationships among Christians who, in addition to being committed to Jesus as Lord, are also thereby committed to each other. . . .

O Little Town of Bethlehem--No, Not That Bethlehem

Leading up to Christmas I was going through Matthew and Luke's birth narratives with my eighth graders. In order to give the students an appreciation of how arduous the journey may have been for Joseph and Mary to trek all the way down to Judea from Nazareth, I googled (yes, I know, very hard-core research) something like "distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem."

Imagine how surprised I was when a site popped up indicating the total distance as 7.4 miles. Perhaps I should have known this, but there is actually a second Bethlehem actually situated in Galilee, which means of course, that the journey would have been much more amenable to Joseph and his young wife. Who cares about that silly little business about Jesus being born in the city of David.

Clicking on one of the links that came up, I actually did discover that some scholars do in fact advocate that Jesus was born in the Bethlehem of Nazareth. Jim Davila, over at PaleoJudaica, came upon an article about an Israeli archaeologist who argues just that. Read Davila's excerpt from the article as well as his accompanying comments here.

Younger Leaders and the SBC

Here's an illuminating--ok, not really that illuminating for people who are familiar with SBC life--article from LifeWay about the declining percentage of younger leaders participating at the Southern Baptist Convention.

Here's what Stetzer has to say: "Of course, facts don’t convince everyone. My hope is that now, finally, we will stop debating and instead ask the hard question: ‘What is causing so many young leaders to stay away?’"

Maybe if the powers that be in the SBC would simply ask some of those younger leaders, they might gain a unique, though perhaps unwanted, glimpse into what at first glance might be judged apathy. (HT: Subverting Mediocrity)

Brewing Controversy

Our Church--Karis Community--has just made the news again. Gotta love the title of the article.

Gone Baby Gone and Male/Female Decision Making

Has anyone seen Gone Baby Gone? Recently P. and I went to view this movie bc quite superficially we had heard it is set in the Boston area, albeit a rough neighborhood, and wanted to take a walk down memory lane. Despite the depressing content, we enjoyed the movie, finding it to be very thought provoking. Oh, and by the, Casey Affleck is a much better actor than Ben. Ben actually directed this film, which has an incredible cast, notably Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman.

Ok, here's the point: the movie concludes with the main characters forced to make a morally ambiguous (as the film wants us to see it) decision. The two protagonists, a male and female, are split to disheartening effect in how they frame the issue. While Monaghan's character focuses on the human consequence of the decision, Affleck's attention is fixated on the question of law and principle.

Interestingly enough, in discussing the issue afterward, P.'s and my perspectives seemed (though to a somewhat lesser degree) to reflect the same difference observed in the film between the lead characters. I wonder, is this a common male/female issue, whereby the male is drawn to the abstract while the female inclines more toward the personal? I certainly do not mean to stereotype nor to suggest that one extreme or the other by itself presents the whole picture. It's just a question that struck me.

If you haven't watched the film, do so when it comes out on DVD.

From Anime to Pakistan

Just taking a break from reading about anime in a freelance job I'm working on. I have a new appreciation for Japanese animation, I'll tell you that.

Winer, along with others at the counterterrorism blog, continue to provide analysis of the situation in Pakistan, including whether al-Qaeda affiliated elements may have been involved--as the government has naturally suggested. Should the infamous terrorist network be behind the assassination of Bhutto, the implications, Winer suggests, are chilling as they are extremely suggestive of al-Qaeda's intent: "they intend to take Pakistan and make it their kind of state."

I think we all know what that looks like. Just look at Taliban-run Afghanistan. Let's hope matters don't come to that and that some other democraticizing figure(s) step forward who can at once claim legitimacy and can wield power in an effective manner. Let's hope for a miracle, in other words.

Death in Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto was killed today in a suicide bombing in Pakistan. This is a sad day, not only because of the violent death of a former leader, but also because of the setback that this event probably represents for democracy in Pakistan.

MORE:

Here's an assessment both of Bhutto and what the assassination attempt means for Pakistan's--and indeed the region's--future over at the counterterrorim blog.

Elsewhere, the speculation centers on who was responsible--directly or indirectly--for Bhutto's murder.

Latest From Iowa

Ha ha. Looks like my Iowa (and New Hampshire) predictions may fall flat, as this latest info from CNN suggests. I wish people would just make up their minds.

Bethlehem Christians

Here's a good article about the plight of Bethlehem Christians that deserves reading--particularly on Christmas. I especially agree with this statement: "Israel cannot afford to lose the Palestinian Christians: They have long represented a moderating force."

Countdown to Iowa and New Hampshire

Who do you think will be the top three candidates from each party in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary? This is the question posed in a contest put on by Pajamas Media here. After agonizing over my choices for at least thirty minutes, I finally gave up the attempt for the moment.

It's a hard call. In Iowa, I tend to think that Huckabee will beat off Mitt Romney and John McCain will come in third--though he, Thompson, and Giuliani are bunched fairly close together in most polls. (I wouldn't mind if Thompson were a little closer to the top tier; he seems to have substantive stances on a lot of answers, but his campaign doesn't seem to be very well run at this stage.)

Even if Huckabee wins in Iowa, I don't think he will win in New Hampshire. If Romney wins in Iowa, I think he most certainly will win in New Hampshire. However, if Huckabee wins in Iowa and John McCain moderately well, I think the Arizona senator, who's already surging in the polls, stands a chance of beating Romney in the former governor's home territory. So in New Hampshire I'm betting Romney will still hold off McCain by a slim margin, and Giuliani will follow in third. Perhaps Huckabee will pass Giuliani if he wins Iowa, but I have a hard time seeing his influence in Iowa and elsewhere (read the South and Midwest) translating into results in the Northeast.

As for the Dems, I have sinking feeling--maybe it's just a fear--that John Edwards will win in Iowa. He has all but lived there since the last Democratic primary. Hillary seems on defensive mode, even trying to downplay expectations according to one report. I think I go Edwards, Obama, Clinton in Iowa.

I think Edwards will win in Iowa but not in New Hampsire. If Clinton places third in Iowa, I think her hold on New Hampshire will fall as well, as there are plenty of people committed to Clinton just because they think she is the most electable. Iowa might show this assumption false. In New Hampsire it will be Obama in a fairly substantial win with Edwards and Clinton virtually tied.

Is anyone else willing to handicap the race?

The Nativity Story

Just watched The Nativity Story for the first time the other day. I know: I'm seriously behind. Overall, I thought the movie was pretty good. This past week I tried to lead my students through the first chapters of Matthew and Luke, which forced me to rediscover a lot, and it was fun and moving at times to watch a movie presentation of the events. Mark Goodacre's review of the film is here.

The Problem with Circumcision, According to Johnny

Eight graders--apart from being frustrating to teach at times (more about that later, no doubt)--provide plenty of comic relief. A few days ago, I was drawing a parallel between the long wait Israel endured for their promised Davidic messiah and Abraham's wait (in skepticism) to see his wife, Sarah, conceive his promised son.

At this point, I decided to test their general bible knowledge. I asked if anyone remembered what it was that furnished the seeming obstacle [i.e., Sarah's age] to God's promise coming to fulfillment. A lovable student--we'll call him Johnny, to protect his identity--raised his hand in the back.

"Yes, Johnny?" "Um," he stammered, "wasn't Abraham unable to have kids because he was circumcised?"

I, and a few of his classmates, did my utmost to suppress a laugh. A chuckle might have slipped out though. I'm sure he's not going to hear the last of this from his friends.

Our Pastor

One thing that is weird about being back in a Southern Baptist environment is being exposed to Southern Baptist life all over again. Don't get me wrong, I have benefited much from my Southern Baptist education and am grateful for all the friends I've made along the way. I would not in any way want to paint the whole denomination with a broad brush--though I'm sure I have at certain times during the past. Prior to coming back to Columbia, I had almost forgotten about how much the alcohol issue consumes (no pun intended) many in the denomination, and especially here in Missouri. Unfortunately, our pastor, Kevin, has even had to contend with what I consider a near obsession with alcohol abstinence from certain quarters in Missouri Baptist life. Here's an interview with him posted on the Founders Ministries Blog. His gracious responses bear evidence to what a great pastor he is. I can only aspire to be as charitable.

Ping Goes Under

My lovely wife was baptized today at our soon-to-be official new church, Karis, in Columbia, MO. Our church meets in a hotel downtown, so we had to baptize her in another church nearby. The subplot of her baptism is that she has been attempting to have it done for a long time but has been twarted at severals points through the years. While in Boston, our beloved church was PCA, so the pastor, understanding that Ping had been sprinkled as an infant in a Presbyterian church, couldn't see any reason for baptizing her. Long story short, she was finally able to be baptized here in Columbia at our new (and already beloved) church. Here is pastor and friend Kevin Larson decked out in wadders (no, he didn't go fly fishing afterwards):

It was kind of a small baptismal but at the same time a cool one, because it was surrounded on all sides by glass, and so friends can gather and watch the dunking. Ping seems a little bemused by this feature:

Here's Ping preparing to descend into what, she hoped, would be warm water (I'm glad Kevin's not the type of guy to drown her in front of so many witnessess . . . or at all, for that matter):

Whew, she made it:

Kevin did a great job. Needless to say, it was a very special day for both Ping and I.

Mitchell Report

Yesterday I, along with countless other baseball fans, nervously awaited the release of the Mitchell Report on Steriod use in baseball. Almost every commentator I listened to on radio and TV leading up to the release tried their best to discredit it in advance: Any list would be incomplete; the names appearing thereon would be arbritary; owners and GMs effectively encouraged use of Steriods during the 90s; Mitchell had too much power and his connection with the Red Sox undermined his objectivity; heresay evidence was all that could be collected.

These and more judgments I listened to, but still I couldn't help but have butterflys in my stomach for fear that a few of my Sox favs--current and past--would be on the list, especially Big Papi, Mike Lowell, or Trot Nixon. Imagine my surprise, and horror, upon reading a leaked list that featured of all the unlikely suspects . . . Jason Varitek. No?! Not the Cap!



Thankfully, the list was later exposed as fraudulent. Now I can continue to harbor the illusion that none of my Sox heros (using the term loosely) touch the stuff. After all, they probably prefer HGH.

Elvis/Nixon and Jeff's Bible

Here's a crazy story about Elvis and President Nixon. I had no idea this happened.

A few days ago I ran across this hilarious onion piece (via the NT Gateway Blog) about an alternative bible, Jeff's Bible. It's a must read.

Psalm 33:18-22

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on

those who fear him,

on those who hope in his

steadfast love

that he may deliver their soul

from death

and keep them alive in famine,

Our soul waits for the Lord,

he is our help and our shield,

For our heart is glad

in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O Lord,

be upon us

even as we hope in you."

Prayer

Currently I'm reading Philip Yancey's book on prayer and am receiving good profit from doing so. These last few years this--prayer--has been difficult for me owing to a variety of reasons. It's not always (though sometimes) a matter of making the time for the discipline; often the problems involve feeling distant from God and latent anger or frustration.

I'm considering instituting into the pattern of my life regular times of prayer throughout the day and have even toyed with the idea of utilizing a prayer book. I'm open to hearing other people's thoughts on the subject, including practices that work well. What I like so far about Yancey's book (and all his books, for that matter) is the forthright acknowledgment that all the puzzles inherent in prayer may be unsolvable, but justification enough for the practice thereof may be be found in the fact that Jesus--who experienced the same things we do--prayed. For this reason I want to pray and understand the experiences of others. Please share.

T/K: Meditating on God--a lost art?

Multi-Purpose Knives

Taking a break from the tedium of proofreading, I happened to be watching a special on the History Channel--yeah, we get cable for the first time in our marriage!--about knives. The narrator was drawing a distinction between our current era's use of diverse kinds of knives according to task and an earlier time's reliance on one type of knife to accomplish all purposes.

The fact alone is not that startingly, but the manner in which the narrator drove home the point (get it?) made me laugh. Speaking of the chaps of a bygone era, he said that the "same knife a man would use to stab his wife's lover, would be employed in eating because of its effectiveness in slicing through butter." Nice.

This, of course, reminded me our butcher knife back home in WP. Not until years later, after having utilized the blade countless times, did I overhear my mom mentioning in an offhand manner to a guest (probably after being asked "where she had purchased such a fine knife") that this same knife was a murder weapon brought as evidence in a trial in which my dad was involved as an attorney; after the trial was over, my mom apparently was able to secure the weapon for her kitchen. I can only imagine that the knife was as effective as a murder weapon as it was for slicing through chicken.

Back (in limbo)

After a long hiatus, I'm back. Just about a month ago we moved to Missouri and are trying to adjust to new scenery and pace of life. It still seems somewhat surreal. From the moment we made the decision for P. to accept a residency position in Missouri to the time of move was probably only a couple months, and I guess that wasn't enough time to process fully what was happening.

So, we're here and attempting to adapt. Ultimately the decision to come here was probably a good one, as the residency position seems to be a good one, and it's great being closer to family. Being here, however, makes decision making about future jobs and/or grad school a more agonizing process. Earlier today I was reflecting on how straight-forward in conviction (though obviously fraught with suffering) was Paul's missionary commitment. I wish I had his sense of certaintly and conviction. In Philippians the apostle writes of his "partnership in the gospel" with the recipients of his letter, and remains certain that their prayers will result in his deliverance, meaning most of all that "Christ is glorified" in his body.

Reading of Paul, I'm forced to question whether my life goals are forged of personal ambition and aim at invididual glory. Should I be pursuing something that is more transparently service to the gospel? And where do personal gifting and (God-given?) interests fit into the vocation equation? These are questions with which I'm wrestling. I don't expect to have the answers anytime soon. Although I must have some answer soon . . .

Coveting vs. Contentment

Our Pastor's sermon today, on the tenth commandment (in a series he's titled "The Gospel According to Moses"), was especially good. Or maybe it was just pertinent to our situation and thus seemed especially good. He first pointed out that coveting is in some ways the sine qua non sin for the violation of all the commandments; it is coveting which takes place first before breaking any of the others.

What was most striking for us, however, was his emphasis upon coveting as the opposite of contentment. Coveting is the mindset that spurs us to seek other things--from other people--as the fulfillment of our needs and the condition for happiness. Usually implied by this mindset is idolatry of the heart; these others conditions or things have replaced God as our chief source of joy and fulfillment.

Pastor Um has often spoken of we as people--Christians no less--as being aspirational. We are always pursuing that next goal that we project will bring us an endless supply of popularity or wealth or status or influence; in short, fulfillment. Today's sermon on coveting hit both P. and I in the gut--but in a good way (not the kind of way that makes you want to vomit). It enabled both of us to realize that if pending opportunities don't pan out the way we want them, we can still be content, as God has already given us all sprititual blessings in Christ. In fact, if we continue to place all our hope for happiness in the granting of these opportunities, we have guaranteed ourselves that we will not be happy, as we have required something of these circumstances that only God can provide.

Eugene Lane

Tuesday I encountered some sad news when browsing the website of the MU Classics department. Eugene Lane, Professor Emeritus of Classics, died this past January. Dr. Lane was the closest thing to an academic mentor that I have ever had, and it was largely through his encouragement that I persevered in Greek, even when Sophocles (or Aristophanes, Aristotle, Plato, etc.) would have had it otherwise.

Initially, upon meeting him, I--and no doubt many others--thought that Dr. Lane was a curmudgeon. He could be at times an intimidating figure on account of his limitless knowledge as well as his seemingly anti-social tendencies. These impressions changed, of course, as students got to know this one-of-a-kind instructor through multiple courses.

For me, it happened rather randomly that I came to see Dr. Lane as more than just a demanding Greek instructor.

[I should indicate at this point, that I was anything but the model Greek student; usually, I was in the middle of the pack as far as aptitude went. Complicating the matter were my study habits: I would routinely stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning studying, only to sleep in and miss the very class (usually Greek) for which I had been studying. So normal was this procedure, that one Friday morning in Greek class, when handing back quizzes or calling on volunteers, Dr. Lane caught sight of me and "exclaimed" in his patented under-the-breath sort of way: "Eric, to what honor are we due for your appearance here on a Friday morning?," or something to that effect.]

Dr. Lane had been awarded through a faculty raffle (or something of that nature) two tickets to attend the Missouri football game that weekend. Unfortunately, he said, his wife was unable to attend, and so he was needing to give away the ticket, and wondered if any of us might want it/them. My hand shot up first, and so I was awarded the prize. (Curiously, I noticed that no one else seemed interested in the ticket; I wrote this off to their being nerds.)

After class, as I was walking out the door, Dr. Lane mumbled "I'll see you at the game, Eric," and it was only at this point that I came to the deflating realization that Dr. Lane would himself be going to the game, and I would be sitting right next to him! (It made sense, now, why no one raised a hand to claim the ticket.) I believe Adam even questioned me later why I had been so enthusiastic. I could have swore that in offering the ticket, Dr. Lane had made some comment about not liking football, which lead to my inference that he wouldn't be attending.

Despite my significant misgivings, the experience turned out to be rewarding. I learned about Dr. Lane as a person and his family; in turn, he asked me about myself, background, and interests. What really endeared him to me, though, was his comment midway through the fourth quarter as the tigers were characteristically getting throttled: "well, this ones in the can; I'm going home to have an iced cold Coors."

This experience meant a lot to me. It showed me Dr. Lane's human side and his love for life and his family. It also showed that he took an interest in people, particularly his students. I had cause to remember our shared football game experience and this kindly side of him again at his retirement party. I entered late to this event with another Greek student of his. As we came into the room, we saw a cluster of more, shall I say, extraverted students gathered around him, ones who had sat under his instruction for all of 1 semester. Feeling uncomfortable, I stood with my other "Greek" friend in the corner. Then I hear Dr. Lane (incredible in itself): "Now, there's the only student I have ever gone to a football game with." Saying this, he came over to talk to Laura and myself. I'm convinced he noticed how uncomfortable I/we looked.

In the past few years Dr. Lane has been encouraging by writing letters of recommendation on my behalf, despite the fact that his Parkinson's made this painful, no doubt. This past November I went to a conference in Washington, D.C., and had the opportunity to meet a scholar who has published a source-book with Dr. Lane. Early in this year, I e-mailed Dr. Lane to say that I had met Dr. MacMullen, and that the latter had had fond things to say about him. I didn't hear back from Dr. Lane. This, I assumed, was due to his advanced Parkinson's. Now I see that Dr. Lane passed away this very month. He will be missed.

Bye bye Schilling?

I know baseball's a business and all but should Schilling depart Boston, I would nonetheless be very sad. It's entirely possible that he won't play as well as he did two or three years; in fact, it's likely. He is, after all, 41 years old--a bit up there for a professional athlete. All the same, who can forget his heroics in bringing the Sox their first World Series title after nearly 90 years. Still vivid in my mind are the truck commercials leading up to his Red Sox debut, in which he announced his migration to Boston for the purpose of winning the title. Of course, much more memorable is his making good on his plans, and doing so while pitching on a temporarily stitched together achilles, leading to the famous bloodly sock. Judging from past experience--notably, the trade of Nomar, seemingly a Red Sox ficture--Theo will be willing to part with Schill should his performance not be great, but I'm not ready to see that happen.

Veritas Forum at MIT

For those of you who have never been to a Veritas Forum, I recommend you go. This year's one at MIT starts on March 1. Our good friend, Annette Kim, will be speaking on Saturday (3/3). Here's the schedule.

New Haven

Back to New Haven tomorrow. Monday I drove down there (with the wife) to speak with a professor in the Religious Studies Department about their PhD program in New Testament. Because I also have an interest in their Ancient Christianity program, I had to set up a separate appointment with a different prof. for tomorrow. Had I been able to check my e-mail Monday before leaving, I would have seen that the NT prof. offered to meet me on Weds as well, in order to spare me the extra trip. Alas, I was long gone before this e-mail was sent.

First of all, I'm not sure I have even the smallest chance of making it into either of these programs. (Early on in our conversation, Dr. Martin informed me that they basically admit one student a year into the PhD program. Nice odds, huh?) Aside from that, I'm not sure these programs are right for me--or if I'm right for them. I guess this is just part of the journey. Hopefully, just one of the schools I apply to will accept me. Ok, enough of the pity party. I better go listen to my Rocky sound track to get pumped up.

I guess I would rather be a bulldog than a terrier . . . .

Arepas for All

Okay, ignore the fact that I look less than masculine in this picture. (Ping was quick to point that out.) The important thing is that I'm enjoying a nice cup of Venezuelan espresso while Ping hangs on for dear life and Suru and Paul sit back and wait for the fireworks.

Here's the other side of the table. Yutian is certainly the ladies man. (B-day girl, Meritza, is third from left. Emily is to her right and Karen is on her left.)

Here's all of us together. Unfortunately, Ping looks like a growth protuding from the side of Karen's head, but what can you do.

Above are some photos from a wonderful lunch that our CG had to celebrate with our dear sister, Meritza, whose birthday was recently. The restaurant is an awesome Venezuelan eatery in the South End of Boston. Here's its website. We had Arepas, which are the main offerings on the lunch menu. I highly recommend the place. Meritza herself is Venezuelan, and since she seemed to like the food, it now has street cred with us.

Odds and Ends

Over at IsElbrechtDead, cousin Nate shares a touching story about his first manicure. (I'm sure there's many more to come.)

Ben Witherington has a balanced review of Rob Bell's ministry (HT: Jason). And here's a more recent post by prolific Ben.

Michael Gilleland at Laudator Temporis Acti reports on Killing God.

Jon at The Brew Site highlights Dogfish Head's Indian Brown Ale. I'm a huge fan of Dogfish Head and would recommend almost any of their brew. In fact, it was only after sampling their 90 Minute IPA that I started to take a liking to the bite of India Pale Ales.

Oh, this just in: UNC finishes off BC, a solid team. (Can't wait until Tournament time--the only time of the year when the wife will let me watch sports for an extended period of time; this is a new phenomenon, ever since I got her addicted to filling out brackets.)

Finally, I'd like to mention Reunion Christian Church's opening in the Boston area. Their first service is on Sunday, February 18 at 10:30 AM. More info is available on their website.

Special K

Nothing says baseball season like a Japanese import. This guy makes me super excited about this year's Sox team--and baseball in general. Sure, he probably won't live up to expectations for the first year, but there's no doubt that every game he pitches will be an event. Overall, I'm thinking that the Sox have pretty good odds of winning the AL East, or at least making it to the playoffs via the wild card. The Yanks seem to be having pitching doubts and all I can say is HA!

Bruce Metzger, RIP

I've just heard that Bruce Metzger has died. His contributions to biblical studies are numerous, and I have benefited from his scholarship. In addition to his broad expertise on New Testament-related issues he was, from what I have read elsewhere and deduced from his own writings, a fine Christian. He will be missed. (HT: Evangelical Textual Criticism.)

Update:
An obituary for Metzger is featured on the Princeton Seminary newsletter here, as well as on the SBL site.

Volf on Iraq War

Oh, I meant to highlight this post by Miroslav Volf on the Christian response to the Iraq War. While I certaintly don't agree with all he says--and feel he over simplifies the modern context of wars (as noted by one commenter)--I do feel that we as Christians should be extremely hesitant about under what conditions we would sanction acts of war that could (no, will) have lamentable consequences. I remember listening to a lecture given by as conservative a figure as Alan Keyes (sp?) on the immorality of the US intervention in the Balkan conflict due to the repercusions in terms of loss of innocent life; in my opinion, many of the same arguments can be applied to the Iraq conflict. However, on the whole, I recognize (contra to many) that many of the geo-political reasons given for invading Iraq were legitimate, even if on strategic grounds I was against the decision and on moral ones I was ambivalent. I am one confused puppy. The short of it is, however, that I feel that we need to engage the ideas proposed by Volf--however much some of us may cringe at the oversimplification in Volf's position--since Christians by the nature of their calling are required to evaluate issues from a unique vantage point.

Gotta Love Snow

It's a wintery day in NE. Today's blanketing was a welcome semi-surprise for me, someone who loves the white stuff (fyi: that's snow, not cocaine). Too bad classes couldn't have been called off; instead, I had to commute 1 1/2 hours to school for one afternoon class--the worst. Hope every one in the New England area is enjoying the long-awaited Jack Frost. (I'll take a picture and post it later for you non-NE folk, though, having had snow already in your parts of the country, it will seem a non-event.)

Service a la Paul

Okay, blogger sabbatical is over. I'm happy to be back if truth be told. Guess I kinda started to miss pontificating. Our small group is commencing what will be--I hope--a life changing interaction with 1 Thessalonians. For me this letter is very apt for our small community in the South End. Radiating from Paul's pen (so to speak) is his ardent love for a group of new believers; his willingness to give up all for their well being is hard to miss.

Two sections of the letter, both in chapter 2, particularly jump off the page for me. Defending--or recommiting to the record (?)--his manner of service among the young church, Paul says in 2.7-8: "But we were very gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only te gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." Later in the chapter he goes on to exclaim: "For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."

This for me is what living life together is all about--giving of ourselves on behalf of others and exalting in the realization of the other's ascendency in faith. I hope to be an emulator of Paul in this respect and to see others in the CG become so as well.

Everything is Illuminated

A couple days ago P. and I watched Everything is Illuminated. Loved it. I think the wife wasn't so pleased on account of its heavy subject matter, but I thought it was rather profound--sad and hopeful at the same time. Anybody else seen this flick? If so, what did you think of it.

Beware the Female

As part of one of my classes I'm currently reading the Apocrypha, which, except for 1/2 Maccabees, I've never dipped into. It's really enjoyable reading, I must say. Here's a great line from the book of Judith, enclosed within a celebratory song of praise recounting the deeds of Judith, whereby the people of Israel are delivered from the Assyrians.

(BTW: Judith seduced the Assyrian captain and, when he was drunk, cut off his head.)

"Her sandal ravished his eyes,
Her beauty captivated his mind,
and the sword severed his neck!"

Back when I was a little more cynical of the female species, I would have said that this utterance well summed up my thoughts.

Oddities

So, I've noticed lately a number of odd things that I do. Perhaps this is due to old age. And if so, at least I can be appreciative that I'm aware of my descent into senility. Please chime in with your own odd behavior if you can determine that such exists (ask a friend, spouse, or family member if not; trust me, it's best to known). Here's just a couple of things I noticed last week:

1) I'm really beginning to talk to myself. Out loud. About random things. A lot.

2) I'm hording napkins like the world is ending. Not quite sure why, but any chance I get, I stuff my pockets with 'em. My pants pockets, my shorts, and even my jackets. Why?

iGod on Pauline Chronology

Check out this hilarious chat b/w Mark Goodacre and iGod about Pauline chronology. Yes, I should be studying.

Decisions

What does the future hold? In May, P. and I will have (theoretically) completed our respetive academic programs. (Much to my chagrin, she will be a "doctor" and I will be only, well, a "master"; actually, master sounds more important. Don't you think?) At that time we will have to make some decisions about the next few years and possibly beyond. I've never been good at making decisions, especially big ones. For being the big picture kind of guy I claim to be, I sure am pretty devoid of big plans.

My style of leadership in marriage is to make ad hoc decisions and then work feveriously to provide some sort of rationale that commands assent. A friend of mine graciously put a positive spin on this by noting that this is what makes us so flexible. (Thanks, Jas.) Unfortunately, I think this is really a reflection of my inability (unwillingness?) to sense God's will in matters. Long ago I latched onto the idea propounded by another friend that God's will is something worked out in our lives as we walk with him, and not a plan to that he always reveals to us. There is much truth to this--though my wife doesn't like this concept--but perhaps in my life this has become an excuse for doing what seems right to me.

And what seems right to me, or my desires, are part of my decision-making rationale. Because I am so much a prisoner of my own thoughts, I can't seem to access the mind of God, and thus am only able to fall back on dreams. These dreams I then deem to be desires that God has placed on my heart. You can see how this works; it's all very circular. (Yet another friend, upon hearing my doubts about my own "dreams theory," advised that I trust but verify--though scripture and prayer. Why can't I come up with such advice?)

All this is to say that I have a bad history when it comes to big decisions, and several are on the horizon. I (we) want our decision(s) to be grounded in God's will--whatever that means. The temptation is to be moved by practical concerns which, in my disillusionment with the way of illusion (idealism?), sounds like a safe and pretty nice way to make a decision at this point.