Pastor Brad's Blog

Big Brother

2010-01-05T16:10:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you but I'm someone who is always curious to know what's next. For example, when computer first came out monitors were strickly black and white and the images they produced were always a bit blurry. Now, of course, monitors give us incredible HD pictures that often seem clearer and sharper than real life. The same goes with cell phones. When they first came out they were big and bulky and coverage was limited. As for these days... well, that are not to many places left in the world that don't have cell phone coverage and the phones themselves can practically sing and dance . But my question is what's next? What will be the next generation of computers and cell phones or even more interesting to me is what will replace them altogether.

One of the latest outgrowth of computers and cell phones, of course, is the social networking that is happening through things like Facebook, blogs and twittering. My kids text message their friends at all times of day and night. But it brings me right back to my question... what's next? What's the next generation of social networking? But I'm also wondering if at some point it will grind to a halt or be significantly altered? And why? Well, as we see in the news everyday whatever gets posted is there for the world to see. What we think is meant for private consumption may very well be tomorrow's news around school, or the coffee pot at work, or in texts or twitters in places we didn't want it to appear. In George Orwell's book "1984" he envisioned a world where government peered into and controlled all parts of life. And though some days it feels like government is heading in that direction, it's turning out that the peering part is self-inflicted. We've created the means by which we can peer into each other's lives and let the record show that we're having a hard time resisting the temptation. That's why I ask the question... what's next? Will we continue in the same direction with things like Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter or will they one day become as extinct as dinosaurs?

What do you think?

Reading Habits

2009-10-01T14:47:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, I read mostly fiction. Occasionally, I would pick up something non-fiction, like a John McPhee, but mostly it was fiction. All kinds. There were the usual suspects like Hemingway and Hesse but along the way I waded up lots of different creeks. Sometimes it was with a Maugham, Murduch, Dos Passos, Barth, or Bellow. Other times it was with a Walker Percy, Wolfe or Flannery O'Connor. What is it about southern writers? Maybe if I had been born in Mississippi or North Carolina I might actually be able to pen a thing two. For a time I was into detective novels starting with Hammett and Chandler. Ah, the code. Did I mention my thing for French trash like Sagan and Collette? Best read on a beach but then what isn't it? For a time too I seem to live on short stories... Conrad, more Maugham, Hemingway at his best in the Nick Adams stories and for that matter try "Tales of the South Seas" by Michener. Question. Why did Michener later think that 1000 pages was better than 200? The best, though, maybe Louis Becke's "Pacific Tales." Great short stories. Just pulled it off the shelf. Time for another read. And not to be forgotten are the heavy weights who from time to time I couldn't resist... Kafka, Sartre, Dostoyevsky, Kazantzakis, Melville, Joyce. You get the picture.

Several times a year John Hershey and I would drive to the lower east end to the Barnes and Noble "Annex." Upstairs in a large open/warehouse area were bins, not shelves of books. Dozens and dozens of bins all filled with used books. Inside the front cover the books were hand marked. Hardbacks were a dollar or two but the paperbacks were 50 cents or less. John and I would come home with grocery bags filled with books. You can imagine what 20 bucks bought. Sometimes the good old days actually were the good old days. We would get there mid-morning, fill one bag by lunch time and then head over to McSorley's for an ale or two and a ham and cheese sandwich. Heading to NY anytime soon? Go to McSorley, the oldest pub in NY. In the early years when we frequented McSorley's it was males only. Even after it was forced to serve women there was a lone bathroom without a lock on the door. I suspect by now McSorley's has become enlightened but it wasn't by choice. After lunch John and I would go back to the Annex for more bags of books. At 3:00 we would drag ourselves away. Once we stayed until rush hour and spent 4 years and I mean 4 YEARS in the Holland Tunnel. We didn't make that mistake again. But books and McSorley's what more could you want.

Once upon a time, I read mostly fiction but now it's a different story. Now I mostly read non-fiction. Currently, it's a book about a woman who enrolls in the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris after losing her job. A fun read.
Before that it was a book about the Black Hole War. Didn't know there was a war over Black Holes? Neither did I until I read the book. The issue, it turns out, is whether or not information that tumbles into a Black Hole is irretrievably lost. Okay, so it's a little esoteric but I learned all kinds of things. For example, if you're riding around in your space ship and accidentally take a wrong turn into a Black Hole don't worry. It's true that you'll eventually get crushed into the point of singularity at the bottom of the Black Hole but it will take millions of years before you get there and you'll be long dead so what's the big deal. By the way, you'll be glad to know the answer is "no." Information is never lost, though the battle to solve the issue raged for more than 20 years before an Argentine physicist solved the problem. The book before that was about the Lincoln's marriage, a loud boisterous affair but a love story nonetheless.

Why the mish mash about my reading habits? What's the point? The answer is I'm wondering why my preference has changed? Why fiction before and non-fiction now? My best guess? The way I see life is that we live it in stages. A stage might be years or a short period of time. For example, there's the college stage, or kids in diaper stage, or have no money stage, or empty nest stage before retirement stage. Maj0r surgery and rehab is a stage. See what I'm getting at. We go through stages some of which are thrust on us and some we choose. For whatever reason once I was in a fiction stage and now I'm in a non-fiction stage. Will I go back to fiction? Good question. But I'm thinking not. I'm having way too much fun with non-fiction. But as the law of quantum mechanics says there's no way to be sure. Probability is always in the picture.

So, where are you when it comes to reading? Post a comment. I'd love to get a dialogue going.

500 Days of Summer

2009-08-04T10:49:00.002-05:00

One of the joys of ministry is seeing church kids grow up and do well in life. It's hard not to feel a sense of "parental" pride, particularly if they were actively involved in church life. It helps give a sense of accomplishment in a "business" where success is measured more often in long term ways than short term ways.

A hundred years ago, when I was youth director at First UMC here in Madison, one of the kids in the youth groups was a fun/crazy/energized young guy named Marc Webb. Marc was once on a mission trip that Becky and I led that stays fresh in our memory for mostly fun/positive reasons. I say mostly because we're talking about what was then a teenage boy, which won't to speak for itself.

Fast forward. Marc, for some time now has been very successful in one of the foremost expressions of Pop culture. For some time now Marc has been working in California making commerials, music videos and "stuff" as he describes it.

Fast forward again. Marc's mom called last spring and invited Becky and me to Madison's premier of Marc's debut as a director of a full length feature film. Cool. Very Cool.

Now understand that whereas I like movies, I don't get to see them in the theater very often. That's because the 8 year in our house has a different viewing list from his 20 year sister and 16 year brother and it usually falls to me to find an alternative activity when others in the family go to the movies. Also if truth be told most movies don't work for me for one reason or another. I'm pretty picky.

But I'm here to say that I was blown away by Marc's movie. It's called "500 Days of Summer" and it's in the theaters right now. It's funny. It's sad. It's cleaver. It's a delightful movie experience. It also has gotten great reviews by real life movie reviewers. For example, it got "Two Thumbs Up." In short go see it. You won't be disappointed.

Bottom line? I couldn't be happier for Marc and his family. And, okay, I am happy for me as well.

Go Lance

2009-07-07T14:04:00.004-05:00

What can I say, I'm a fan of Lance. I like it that not only has he excelled what must be one of the difficult feats in the world of sports but I like that he has doen it in spite of cancer. It's only the 4th day of racing in this year's Tour de France but there he is tied for first. I like it. I hope he wins the whole shooting-match. Now that would be a comeback and a half.

As someone who has spent a fair amout of time in hospitals over the years, I appreciate what an inspiration Lance must be for those battling cancer or some other deadful disease. Time and time again I've seen the price that must be paid in order to make it through another day much less come out on top as Lance has done. But I'm also aware and my heart especially goes out to those who work/care/strive/give-everything-they-have only to not have it be enough. Sometimes it isn't about working hard enough, sometimes it's simply not to be.

I don't mean this sound glib because I tremendous respect for the Lance's of the world who work and win but it those who work and lose who I admire even more.

"We're A Normal Family"

2009-06-30T09:39:00.003-05:00

One of the headlines that has emerged following the death of Michael Jackson was made one of Jackson's siblings, though I can't remember which one. Sorry. The headline stated, "We're a normal family."

My first reaction was "You've got to be kidding. What planet are you on?" I know scores of "normal" families and not one of them has produced a single hit record much less made hundreds of millions of dollars in the recording industry. And then there's the whole business of alleged parental abuse. Not only is your childhood and adolescence going to be turned upside down if you're making hit records and traveling the world doing concerts but if your parents are physically and emotionally abusing, as has been alleged by Jackson and his siblings, then you can hardly claim to be a "normal" family. In short, if you're looking for a working definition of a dysfunctional family a good place to start would be the Jackson family.

My second reaction, however, was slightly different. My second reaction was there maybe more truth in the Jackson sibling statement that first meets the eye.

I know it sounds crazy but bare with me. Hear me out before you decide that I have lost my mind. Here's what I have observed about families, and when I say families I'm throwing a blanket over all families, including mine. You see, I have come to believe that all families are dysfunctional. Granted some families are more dysfunctional than others but I'm convinced that all families are dysfunctional to one degree or another. We fight, we pout, we manipulate, we're late, we spend too much, we save too much, we're too generous, we're not generous enough, we shout, we sulk... the list goes on and on. The notion that a "normal/average" American family is well adjusted and if not happy all the time is at least content is part of the myth of the American Dream. Family life is about relationships and the business of relationships is tough stuff. We even see it with Jesus and his family. Remember the scene where Jesus is teaching when a disciple interrupts and tells Jesus that his mother and brothers are outside and want to see him. Remember what he says? He says to the disciples, "Tell them I have no mother or brothers." Ouch! How do you think that went over with Jesus' family members? Not well, I suspect.

Now if that sounds like all bad news, you've missed the point. I would suggest that by starting out with the notion that all families are dysfunctional to one degree or another it sets us free. It sets us free from the guilt of trying to be something that it's impossible to be... the perfect family.

Do I think that the Jackson family is normal. Not hardly. But I also think they're not alone when it comes to being dysfunctional. I think it's something all families share to one degree or another.

2009-04-27T15:35:00.002-05:00

Lately, there's been a lot of news about the torture techniques that have been used on "enemy combatants" to illicit information. But quite frankly I have a hard time with the fact that there's any debate at all. Yes, I'm aware that sometimes prisoners hold information that could be considered vital but isn't the refusal to use torture what's suppose to separate us from being barbarians ourselves? Aren't we suppose to be a nation that stands for high principles even when those principles aren't easy or convenient? To suggest that something like waterboarding is "legal" has to be the ultimate in legal hair splitting. No wonder our international reputation is at an all time low. How can we call for others to respect human rights when we don't? As has been said by many, being a free democratic society isn't for the faint of heart.

2009-04-14T11:16:00.004-05:00

April 14, 2009

Thoughts.

Thought 1. Well, it's pretty clear that I'm not a natural born blogger. Given the fact that my first blog was in November and now 5 months later here's #2 pretty much says it all. There are multiple possibilities of why it took 5 months for #2, I'll let you decide which one(s) makes the most sense. a. I'm lazy. b. I'm busy. c. I have nothing to say. d. I can't decide what to say. e. all of the above. I could be wrong but it seems that successful bloggers are persons who are ready at a moment's notice to blog in their stream of consciousness, which doesn't appear to be me. In case, here's #2. Will there be a #3. Sure, maybe, possibly...

Thought 2.
If you're new to blogging and you wait 5 months before blogging a second time expect to have forgotten how to post a new blog. Obviously I did figure it out again but it took a lot of head scratching, starting with why didn't I make better notes.

Thought 3.
Spring.

Thought 4.
Spring. Get the picture?

Thought 5. Attachments and Saying Goodbye
If you didn't know the Mather family is in the horse business. Meaning, we have horses on our small farm, not that we buy and sell them for profit. In fact, I'm of the opinion that profit and horses are an oxymoron. Stalls, fencing, tack, water tanks, round pens, hay, ferrier , vets, shots. Add dollar signs before each of those items and you get the picture.

In the 5 years we have had horses we have had 4, along with a donkey and pony. And today is one of those mixed emotions day because we've said goodbye to Cedar and hello to a new horse who as of yet doesn't have a name, or at least one that we're going to use. But forgetting about the name for a moment, there's no getting around the fact that we often become incredibly attached to our pets. New horse is an 11 year paint who is "bomb proof," meaning anybody can get on him and he's cool about it. Cedar, and Breeze our other current resident, are decidedly not bomb proof. Great horses, destined to be bomb proof one day but not yet and probably not for several years. And since 2 barn residents is plenty Cedar had to go... but saying goodbye is... well, it ain't no fun.

I fully understand that in life we're constantly "moving on" and having to say goodbye but it can be hard, can't it. My family will tell you that down in the basement are a pair of hockey skates which when I bought them in 1492 were state of the art. You might guess they've seen their day but I suspect I'll skate in them to the pearly gates when the time comes. Now don't get me wrong, I don't feel that way about everything. Take golf balls for example. I don't go swimming when I send them into a lake but it's amazing the things we get attached to and how hard it is to say goodbye sometimes.

Thought 6.
Your turn. Besides family and friends what are you attached to and how is the saying goodbye thing for you?

Join the Journey

2008-11-28T10:48:00.002-06:00

Well, as I said in my pastor's colummn in our newsletter, this is a first for me and I'm feeling pretty darn proud of myself, considering the fact that I have - should we say - limited computer knowledge/skills. I can't tell you when I first heard of blogs but if the truth be told it wasn't until just recently that I really understood what they are. But still I hadn't given any thought to having a blog of my own until I was talking with my friend and colleague Mandy Stein who has one and who has found it helpful/interesting. So with some big time help from Doug Baker, I am now officially a blogger. Welcome to Pastor Brad's Blog

But if I was feeling full of myself that was quickly taken of care when I "googled" Pastor Brad's Blog to see if I had made the big time and discovered that there are already scores of other Pastor Brad's Blogs. So much for original thinking. On the other hand, if you want to know what other Pastor Brads are saying, you'll have to find that out for yourself. I was too overwhelmed to click on any of their blogs.

But as for what this blog will be all about... well, I really don't have the slightest idea but here's what I do hope. I hope for an honest exchange of ideas. I hope that you'll read my meanderings with an open mind and let me know what you're thinking. I also hope that all exchanges will be civil and that everyone will be willing to take credit for their own thoughts. After all, it's only fair. If I'm brave/stupid enough to post what I write for the world to see, it's only fair that you would do the same. But enough said. Let's get started. The theme for this post is Christmas.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, it's "Black Friday" and I'm in the office for a reason. I'm in the office so I won't have to be out there doing what has become a national pastime - shopping the day after Thanksgiving. But as I sit here I wondering what's the hardest part of Christmas for you and why. After all, Christmas for a lot of people is not the least bit joyful or not as joyful as Madison Ave tells us it should be.

For me the answer is two fold. First, and by far the hardest part by far, is not having my parents around and often not being able to celebrate the day with my brother and his wife Sally. I was one of the lucky ones growing up and had great Christmas'. John and I certainly didn't always get what we wanted but the Christmas morning rituals worked and it was about as Currier and Ives as you can get. With both mom and dad gone now, Christmas is just not the same. Don't misunderstand me. I love what I'm lucky enough to have with Becky and the kids but... And even though my brother also lives in the Madison area other family obligations often keep us apart. Again, I understand but don't like it.

The second issue for me is much more minor but it's there, something that to be dealt with every year. It the exhaustion I feel after a Christmas Eve full of services. Ooga booga. Dont' get me wrong. I love Christmas Eve worship. It's a special time but the next day I always feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck.

But what about you? What's hard for you when it comes to Christmas.

Brad