The devastation in Haiti is difficult to comprehend through mere images on television. The great suffering that the Haitians are enduring is equally if not more so difficult to grasp. Those that live according to a Christian worldview, who believe that all life has meaning and purpose, no doubt feel moved to reach out in some way. Because of this, many organizations are accepting donations from those who can afford and are willing to contribute to relief efforts.
The media is flooded by ideas and suggestions for what could and should be done in Haiti. In the analysis there is also considerable commentary on the country itself. Questions have been raised about why Haiti, one half of the island of Hispaniola, has great problems that plague it's people and it's culture. While on the opposite side of the island,the Dominican Republic, exists in a vastly different world.
In this week of opinions and analysis, Pat Robertson ignited a firestorm with his comments about Haiti being cursed by God. These words have been repeated and analyzed by many, including a press release by his own ministry. Writers with much greater theological insight than myself have considered and written about his remarks, both for how he was wrong, and how the basis that may have driven Robertson's remarks was right. However you see those remarks, they do serve to open the discussion on the reality of real world consequences to religious beliefs.
John Piper stated a similar view back in April of 2009, on how spiritual beliefs and the lifestyles derived from them can have physical consequences. However, his remarks somehow avoided similar backlash and attacks. There are probably a number of factors to explain the difference in the two comments, not the least of which is how something is said, what is said and who says it.
Tom Gilson, of The Thinking Christian, said Robertson's statements were "...assuming too much freedom to speak for God." I agree. As Christians, we cannot directly identify God's justification or purpose in natural occurrences, like the earthquake in Haiti, anymore than we can the waves on the ocean.
As originally stated, consider what it is that you feel about the situation in Haiti. If you feel lead to give or to go, then do so. If you have a faith that you believe is genuinely real, if you believe that there are real consequences in this physical world for spiritual activities, then begin praying for the Haitians and all those attempting to help. If that isn't your belief, then begin considering what you do believe and why.
One final consideration from Del Tacket, of The Truth Project: "Do You Really Believe That What You Believe Is Really Real?"
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Sense of Accomplishment
This post might have been better if published before Christmas, but then some family members might have had their surprise spoiled. If you continue reading, you'll have to bear with the Christmas retrospective. You've been warned.
There seems to be a progression in gift giving that goes on through childhood. Initially very young children are included by default in family gift giving. Then they start to give gifts, usually priceless artwork that they've created themselves. At some later point "store bought" gifts creep in, eventually eclipsing all personal creations, even including greeting cards. A rather accelerated timeline, but essentially accurate for many families.
For individuals that have a particular skill that they develop and practice, acquired either through or after childhood, personally created gifts can take on a whole new meaning. Such is the case with our youngest son this Christmas. We've done a number of wood working projects in the last few years. We started out small, with projects of limited size and scope - and the tools they required. Some have required no more than a saw and a drill, others quite a few more. Some were rough carpentry and others finished table pieces. Needless to say, as with any new experience, some mistakes were made - even necessary for learning opportunities.
Sizing of the project, particulary the duration required for completion has also an important element of our journey. One that was created from raw lumber turned out to be too large in scope and the interest was lost. One purchased partially assembled (!) as a mostly stain and finish project that turned out to be not enough action and interest was lost. So this Christmas was a restart of sorts for a start to finish project.
Going down the list family members that, it was decided that a lap desk was the perfect gift for several. We have several around the house (all purchased), with one in particular that everyone chooses first. It was selected as the model for our project. As simple as it was, it was the perfect scope to get in a little of everything in a wood working project. Pilot measurements, cut patterns, wood selection, saw selection, sanding methods, stain preferences, finishing treatments - we got in a little of each. Manual tools, power tools, rags, brushes were all used and understood for their proper purpose. Differences in grain and hardness of various woods such as ash, pine, alder and red oak were learned (we choose the latter). Design and budget choices were even considered when a fancier, slightly more expensive molding was selected for the book rest. There probably isn't anything we didn't touch at some level.
Interest was held throughout the project, four or five separate work sessions I believe. Each stage had new challenges, opportunities and visible progress. And a growing sense of accomplishment. Here's one of the light stained final products with the young woodworker and the recipient. That was another selection point, who got natural oak and who got the Provincial stain. In the end, as you can see, everyone was happy with the result.
So don't infer any deep statements here about commercialism of Christmas or the value of gifts from this post, neither are intended. This is a simple reflection on the observed pride of accomplishment achieved by creation. And a little fatherly bragging. I'm proud of our son for what he accomplished and to have been a part of helping him achieve it.
We're looking forward to many more projects together!
There seems to be a progression in gift giving that goes on through childhood. Initially very young children are included by default in family gift giving. Then they start to give gifts, usually priceless artwork that they've created themselves. At some later point "store bought" gifts creep in, eventually eclipsing all personal creations, even including greeting cards. A rather accelerated timeline, but essentially accurate for many families.
For individuals that have a particular skill that they develop and practice, acquired either through or after childhood, personally created gifts can take on a whole new meaning. Such is the case with our youngest son this Christmas. We've done a number of wood working projects in the last few years. We started out small, with projects of limited size and scope - and the tools they required. Some have required no more than a saw and a drill, others quite a few more. Some were rough carpentry and others finished table pieces. Needless to say, as with any new experience, some mistakes were made - even necessary for learning opportunities.
Sizing of the project, particulary the duration required for completion has also an important element of our journey. One that was created from raw lumber turned out to be too large in scope and the interest was lost. One purchased partially assembled (!) as a mostly stain and finish project that turned out to be not enough action and interest was lost. So this Christmas was a restart of sorts for a start to finish project.
Going down the list family members that, it was decided that a lap desk was the perfect gift for several. We have several around the house (all purchased), with one in particular that everyone chooses first. It was selected as the model for our project. As simple as it was, it was the perfect scope to get in a little of everything in a wood working project. Pilot measurements, cut patterns, wood selection, saw selection, sanding methods, stain preferences, finishing treatments - we got in a little of each. Manual tools, power tools, rags, brushes were all used and understood for their proper purpose. Differences in grain and hardness of various woods such as ash, pine, alder and red oak were learned (we choose the latter). Design and budget choices were even considered when a fancier, slightly more expensive molding was selected for the book rest. There probably isn't anything we didn't touch at some level.
Interest was held throughout the project, four or five separate work sessions I believe. Each stage had new challenges, opportunities and visible progress. And a growing sense of accomplishment. Here's one of the light stained final products with the young woodworker and the recipient. That was another selection point, who got natural oak and who got the Provincial stain. In the end, as you can see, everyone was happy with the result.
So don't infer any deep statements here about commercialism of Christmas or the value of gifts from this post, neither are intended. This is a simple reflection on the observed pride of accomplishment achieved by creation. And a little fatherly bragging. I'm proud of our son for what he accomplished and to have been a part of helping him achieve it.
We're looking forward to many more projects together!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Airline Security
President Obama held a press conference earlier this evening to assign responsibilities for security failures such as the failed Christmas Day airline bombing. His top counter terrorism aide John Brennan took the blame for that event and promises were made to more effectively link intelligence reports together. The President also acknowledged "the buck stops with me". All good measures for as far as they go and I sincerely hope they do move our nation into a better position to thwart terror plots that would attempt to rob us of our freedom. However, no specifics where given on elements of effective physical security.
What airport security measures are really effective? We've spent literally billions of dollars effectively only avoiding repeat incidents. Restricted container sizes, removing shoes and now staying seated in the last hour of flight are all examples. How effective are these things in really making us safer? How much of this is just "security theater", as Bruce Schneier might say, designed to make us only feel safer?
Without debating if absolute security is possible (I don't think it is), why not focus on something that worked? Have Jasper Schuringa, who subdued the terrorist during the detonation attempt, assist in updating the flight cards that are shown at the beginning of every flight. In addition to seat belt usage and exit locations, passengers could be instructed on what to do if someone intentionally sets fire to their crotch.
Personal responsibility. Even when it costs something personally. What a concept. Something that the 289 persons aboard Northwest Flight 253 certainly can appreciate. Possibly something Washington should consider as effective - in many areas.
What airport security measures are really effective? We've spent literally billions of dollars effectively only avoiding repeat incidents. Restricted container sizes, removing shoes and now staying seated in the last hour of flight are all examples. How effective are these things in really making us safer? How much of this is just "security theater", as Bruce Schneier might say, designed to make us only feel safer?
Without debating if absolute security is possible (I don't think it is), why not focus on something that worked? Have Jasper Schuringa, who subdued the terrorist during the detonation attempt, assist in updating the flight cards that are shown at the beginning of every flight. In addition to seat belt usage and exit locations, passengers could be instructed on what to do if someone intentionally sets fire to their crotch.
Personal responsibility. Even when it costs something personally. What a concept. Something that the 289 persons aboard Northwest Flight 253 certainly can appreciate. Possibly something Washington should consider as effective - in many areas.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
National Debt Made Easy
I had a conversation with a friend last night who is way ahead of me in his tax planning. He has already reviewed the 2009 instructions and called me to let me know of some additional deductions and credits he thought my family might be eligible for this year. He was right on one and I'll have to do some reading to determine at least one other. I appreciated the call even if it did give me a vague sense of being "behind". I have to keep reminding myself that he has an earned doctorate in statistics and therefore might be more interested in numbers, financially based or not.
He called while I was reviewing our family budget (on GNUCash) from 2009. Just doing some basic things like cleaning up the backlog of entries from the end of the year when I took a couple of weeks off, insuring all the relevant entries are tagged for tax status and looking at cash flows to adjust some budget accounts for 2010. Standard stuff.
In the midst of all the year-in-review type activity though, its natural (necessary even) to determine if you're better or worse off, monetarily speaking, at the end of the year than at the start. The next natural progression of thought is for the new year, for your family and the country as a whole. As I followed that progression a number of thoughts came to mind on socialism, constitutionality and debt. Which reminded me of an article by the Heritage Foundation that I read before my vacation and intended to write about them. So yes, everything up to this point has been an introduction while getting to the real point.
No matter how much planning you do in providing for your family and keeping out of debt, the government apparently has other ideas.
The Heritage Foundation article on The Debt Limit discusses the raising of the national debt limit (slipped in for an initial vote on Christmas Eve, after the Heritage article was written). In a short one page article, they state what that really means for the country and individuals in clear terms. They then present four brief suggestions on how to take real action against the debt.
It's not the most in depth or comprehensive article on national debt, but one that makes it easy to have a real understanding on some key points. Which is exactly the goal. It can provide some new thinking and discussion points even for those who normally turn away from financial discussions, preferring the easier path of trusting career politicians.
So as you set your personal budget for 2010, just remember that you're not the only one spending the money you've earned or creating debt that you'll have to repay.
He called while I was reviewing our family budget (on GNUCash) from 2009. Just doing some basic things like cleaning up the backlog of entries from the end of the year when I took a couple of weeks off, insuring all the relevant entries are tagged for tax status and looking at cash flows to adjust some budget accounts for 2010. Standard stuff.
In the midst of all the year-in-review type activity though, its natural (necessary even) to determine if you're better or worse off, monetarily speaking, at the end of the year than at the start. The next natural progression of thought is for the new year, for your family and the country as a whole. As I followed that progression a number of thoughts came to mind on socialism, constitutionality and debt. Which reminded me of an article by the Heritage Foundation that I read before my vacation and intended to write about them. So yes, everything up to this point has been an introduction while getting to the real point.
No matter how much planning you do in providing for your family and keeping out of debt, the government apparently has other ideas.
The Heritage Foundation article on The Debt Limit discusses the raising of the national debt limit (slipped in for an initial vote on Christmas Eve, after the Heritage article was written). In a short one page article, they state what that really means for the country and individuals in clear terms. They then present four brief suggestions on how to take real action against the debt.
It's not the most in depth or comprehensive article on national debt, but one that makes it easy to have a real understanding on some key points. Which is exactly the goal. It can provide some new thinking and discussion points even for those who normally turn away from financial discussions, preferring the easier path of trusting career politicians.
So as you set your personal budget for 2010, just remember that you're not the only one spending the money you've earned or creating debt that you'll have to repay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)