"The [Old Testament] Israelites were trusting in military might so they wouldn't have to trust in God. Chariots and warriors were a substitute for faith. Their faith in God could have made them great among the nations; their faith in militarism would result in devestation."
Eugene Peterson
Praying with the Prophets
An elderly Arab man had lived in an small house outside New York City for more than 40 years. One day he decided that he would love to plant tomatoes and herbs in his garden. However, being alone, he knew he was too old and weak. His son was away at college in Paris, so the old man sent him an e-mail explaining the problem:
Beloved son,
I am very sad, because I can't plant tomatoes in my garden. If only you were here you could help and dig up the garden for me.
I love you,
your father
The following day, the old man received an e-mail response from his son:
Beloved father,
Please don't touch the garden. That is where I have hidden "the THING."
I love you, too,
Ahmed
Three hours later the FBI and Homeland Security visited the old man's house and tore the whole garden apart, searching every inch. But they couldn't find anything, and left disappointed.
The next day, the old man received another e-mail from his son:
Beloved father,
I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your tomatoes. That is all I could do for you from here.
Your loving son,
Ahmed
(thanks to my cousin, Rasha, for the joke)
"Beware the Ides of March!" So goes the famous warning of the soothsayer to the emperor in Julius Caesar. But we all know the story: March 15th comes, and Caesar gets the knife in the gut. No U.S. President has ever had that bad a day in the Senate...
This year the Ides of March means gawd awful spring alergies... and basketball. I like watching the NCAA Tournament, but have never put too much into my brackets or a particular game. But my alma mater - Texas A&M - played their round one game here in Lexington, and my friend Jerry Walls felt it was important enough for me to be there that he gave me the cash to go scalp a ticket. So, in gratitude I thought I would plug his new book:
I had a good time... but probably not as much fun as the guy in front of me who had bet $15,000 on the Aggies to cover the spread. In the final few minutes, even though the Aggies were certain to win, he begged and pleaded for them to score more points. They'd score a bucket, and he'd tackle and hug his buddy next to him. The other team would score, and he'd start punching his chair. Apparently he won by just a couple of points, and as the final buzzer sounded he invited all of us sitting around him to the bar.
And one other important matter on the Ides of March: Granny Boyd's 96th birthday. Just four years shy of having Willard Scott wish her a happy birthday on the "Today" show, and she's still kickin' ass (it just takes her a little longer, and she can't kick as hard as she used to). Happy Birthday Granny! We love you!
It has been too long, but we're trying to break free and back to the blog.
In the mean time, I offer this story from Newsweek. In almost every detail it eerily sounds too simmilar to my own... and for that I grieve.
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
More to come soon...
