Will
Do you have the will
to fly?
Do you have the will
to cry out?
Do you have the will
to shout
“fear has no right to be here”?

Do you have the will
to fly?
Do you have the will
to cry out
“fear isn’t going to scare me”?

Do you have the will
to fly
to the rest of the universe?

Do you have the will?

-Sierra, 24 Dec 08

Gonzalez Family Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all. May the peace of the season be with you. We have been incredibly blessed to have a very good Christmas.

Christmas Eve at my sister Amy's house was a blast. Great food, fund games, fund gifts, and great people. We have been blending a family since (before) my mother remarried. We are feeling normaler (if there is such a thing) than ever before. I really love my whole family. They are good and very fun people who make me laugh. I am lucky to have them.

Christmas morning was at our home. Big Breakfast is a tradition. Kids opening presents. The big hit, Nintendo Wii Fit. Pajamas all day, hot tea, phone calls to family members far away, and looking at the bright sun glistening off the pure white snow. Nothing better. This life is a very good life.

We are grateful to God for a good life. Here are some pics:

Sierra is 10 years old, smart, and rarely smiles for the camera. This on is a treat.

Canaan is 8 years old and makes crazy faces in the front of a camera. This pic was taken in the middle of gift giving.


By the glow of a Nintendo DS.

"Mom, did you know that Nintendo DS's are awesome?"

Canaan on Wii Fit.

Canaan still on the Wii Fit.

Dad jumps 127 meters on Wii Fit ski jumping.

Sierra rocks the house on ski jumping.

And even mom is getting into the act.

Sierra in Manga Christmas

Sierra does not like stage make-up

Sierra does not like to get her picture taken when she is wearing stage make-up.

Gabrielle (with disco hair) visits mary

Sierra is a shepherd minding her own business.

Sierra looks to the sky.

Sierra and Zoe sing
Sierra sings.

Sierra did such a good job on the Manga Christmas. We are so proud of her. She nailed her lines and got a big laugh out one line. It was a real boost for her.

Sledding December 2008

Top 10 Irritating Phrases Unmasked

Bradley Wright let's us know what is getting under the skin of researchers at Oxford. Here is what is bothering them with my explanations:

The top ten most irritating phrases:
1 - At the end of the day - I just said a whole bunch of stuff that I know was irrelevant and don't care that you weren't listening, but I want you to get this one point.

2 - Fairly unique - There is absolutely nothing in the world just like this one, except there are a few things that are pretty much just like it, but they are few in number.
OR
You should buy this because it is valuable and rare...BUY IT NOW!!!!!!

3 - I personally - Proper language for fake plactic tree people who have no personality.

4 - At this moment in time - Now. Jack Bauer never, EVER says, "At this moment in time," because lives depend on econommy of language. He either says, "Now," "Now, dammit," or "ChloedammitNOW!"

5 - With all due respect - I do not respect you nor do I believe you are due any respect.

6 - Absolutely - I want you to think I really, superduper really, mean something because my YES is not enough - and I have no self esteem.

7 - It's a nightmare - (Usually accompanied witt an overly dramatic eyeroll). It was bad, but I have limited vocabulary, and I want to try to get you to say "Oh my God,," or better yet, "OMG." (If the responder DOES give in with an OMG, then the manipulation was successful).

8 - Shouldn't of - I messed up and don't read much.

9 - 24/7 - 3 remainder 3

10 - It's not rocket science - Almost nothing is actually rocket science, so this phrase is not making anything more clear. Scientists who use scientific methods for inquiry about rockets are the only ones who are doing rocket science. Calling something not rocket science is like calling something not the Bayesian Information Criteria. Depite the truth to the claim, little, if anything , is ruled out when using this phrase in fforts to points toward what "it" is.

Sunset on Lake Street

Orange and purple sunset
On frozen Lake Street;
Paints warm the grey city way;
Dispersed sunrays of orange mist
Burst upwards, into purple clouds;
One quick spray of sky graffiti,
Before dusk;
Concrete and steal tinted gently;
a brief smile in the bundled and hunched;
Even breath-mist takes color -
In the frigid heart of Winter,
Something warm happened.

Worlds are colliding...or maybe hugging

I have lived in many worlds across varying political, religious, regional, and academic spectrums. Granted, there are more worlds I have not lived in than there are worlds I have, but having lived in a few sometimes highly contrasted worlds has given me exposure to some differences and similarities between worlds.

For an example of differences, in one religious world being countercultural has meant being against gay marriage whereas in another religious world being countercultural has meant marshalling resources through art to fight against human trafficking. Those are very different perspectives on morality and mission.

For an example of similarities, each political group seems to believe that their perspective is common sense and that any honesty and thinking person would arrive at roughly the same political perspective.

Another example of similarities is that people within one world find it hard to have conversations with people in a world different than their own. Not only do they find it hard to have these conversations, they rarely place themselves into contexts in which such a conversation would be possible. It takes effort, courage, and self-confrontation to effectively place onself in a context to have such a conversation and to converse without quitting because a quick convert cannot be made.

I will add one important caveat here: the less social power a person has the more that person is required to live in other people's worlds and therefore just living requires navigating such conversations. It is not a choice people with less social power have, but rather a necessity for survival.

So, to come to my point: I think that Obama being president (on Jan 20th, 2009) is necessarily two worlds coming together. A Black man (who is really biracial) is governing a mostly white (roughly 75%) nation. The question for us all is whether this coming together will be a collision or a hug. Will we CRASH into each other or will we find a kind a respectful way to connect?

Masai Creed

If you are a Christian, could you accept this creed?

What is sin?

Greed, lust, sloth, etc may be the initial way to answer the question of what sin is. And to be sure, these are real things. Looking at Wall Street might show evidence of greed. The fact that the porn industry is booming might be evidence to suggest sexual lust is in high gear. Look at how much time is wasted by people on blogs and facebook (click here to see all my firends and read my status updates ;-)) and perhaps it could be said sloth is infecting us...and let's throw in some hypocisy...just for full disclosure on my part.

I do not contest these as sin. But maybe I do a little bit. What if greed and sloth and lust etc are not so much sin itself, but rather they are outcomes of sin? What if sin is more like a web of influences? What if sin is an ubiquitous, but nuanced, network of forces which work against humans being fully human? Could it be that when we try not being greedy or selfish we are still not getting at the source? Could it be that in trying to be good by not being bad as defined by what I am calling the outcomes of sin, that we remain fully vulnerable to fall into another part of the network of forces which is sin?

Furthermore, what if the power of this de-humanizing network of forces I am referring to as sin is difficult to detect or avoid? What if it is everywhere you ahve been or will go? What if this network of forces is "The Matrix" in a sense - a simulacra of life meant to provide a minimally acceptable experience of life which would for the most part suffice most people, but systematically de-humanize people, degrading their free will, their capacity to give and receive love, and slowly separate people from their ability to know and be known?

Is this is sin, then I need rescue more than I ever believed I ever did.

Thoughts?

If this perspective more closely approximated the truth of sin, I wonder what the implications would be for defining morality. How would this more nuanced and mystrious view of sin influence how people lived and treated each other?

Ancient Document Quote Quiz

From which ancient document does the following quote come?

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

No prizes, just pride.

Cheaters can click here for the answer.