Politics Killed the Radio Star

Just wanted to rant about radio stations here in Cleveland. I used to listen to WTAM 1100 on the AM, and 106.5 on the FM dials, exclusively. I got tired of 106.5 because of a subtle bias I perceived in some of their music choices (sorry, I don't think America is evil), and because frankly I can only hang out so long in the shallow world of pop anyway. Although I always enjoy an 80's jam! Then 1100 traded Glenn Beck for ratings shares in the basement because of their personal belief systems. Hey, whatever. I found out that there are other decent radio stations out there! Still, I enjoy Sportsline on 1100, except for the commericals promoting their morning show. I don't want to hear vicious political attacks interjected in my sports talk! Attacks aimed not at the incorrect actions of one person, but at an entire worldview, some of which I happen to agree with. I don't want to feel I'm being personally attacked because I don't buy into your belief system, thank you. When I want sports talk you can keep your radio station's political leanings to yourselves! Ptui!

Getting on with Life

We helped Eric's parents clean out his apartment this weekend. It was sad but also helped us adjust to Eric's death. Sorting out Eric's things showed clearly not only who Eric was, but what we shared with him. Sharing ourselves with other people is the best part of life, and as Christians, we need to include others in our lives, and enrich their lives here, as well as share the joy and hope of heaven. We know that Eric's friendship added to our lives, but talking to his parents gave us insight on how we added something to his life. I'd like to add something positive to the life of every person I am involved wit

Goodbye, Eric

Found out today that a good friend of my husband's and myself passed away on Saturday. He was only 34 years old. I've lost many elderly relatives, of course. There have even been several younger people of my acquaintance who are no longer on this earth, mostly because of car accidents or cancer. But although Eric had been in poor health on and off for most of this year due to a kidney infection, I don't think anyone knew how bad it was except maybe Eric. None of the people who knew him seemed to imagine he could die because of the problems he'd been having. He was feeling pretty weak the last several days of his life, and I wish we could have seen him one more time. He was a really unique and great guy. His going will leave a great hole in our lives. At least he was a Christian so we have the hope of seeing him again. In this short period in time, however, things seem a little darker and colder tonight.

People to See

Elizabeth over at anxiouscontentment posted about her meeting with a high-ranking volleyball player. That got me wondering if there was anyone well-known who I would like to meet. Don't know if it's a good or bad thing, but I couldn't really come up with anybody! After some thought, I thought maybe Barbara Bush, so she could sign the shirt with her picture on it I got from Glenn Beck's store. Plus, she just has a great name! :) Although I think part of my idea might have come from the fact that my niece got to meet George Sr. and Barbara in Maine over the summer. I can't think of any famous people I admire who are still alive! Kind of sad, really.

Oh, it's all so clear now!

Okay, so I didn't turn the radio off fast enough after Monday night football last night, and they cut right to Coast to Coast AM. Turns out the reason Bush nominated Miers is because...he's been taken over by aliens! Glad we've figured that out, huh?

The Pace of Life

Some people (and families) seem to like to be constantly on the run. They're never at home, except to sleep and maybe eat; their lives are filled with scheduled activities. I am not one of those people. Perhaps it's because I am introverted, and need big doses of quiet, "alone time" to rest and re-energize. Perhaps it's because I show a lot of the indicators of ADD, and I'd go nuts trying to juggle more than I already am. In any case, as my kids are growing older I'm really appreciating how much homeschooling helps with a laid-back lifestyle. We're involved in a lot more activities than my husband and I hoped to be in the naive years of our early parenting. However, several of them can be fit into the daytime, so that we're not on the run all late afternoon and evening. For example, my daughter's Latin class, taught by one of our pastors, is held on Wednesday mornings. She also takes piano lessons, and those can be taken during the day as well. Not to mention how this really minimizes having to run one child one place and then run another child someplace else. It's so fulfilling, and yet so relaxing!

In Too Deep

I have this tendency to analyze just about everything. You'd think that'd be good for writing a blog, but I'm finding it's really not. Because you can't decide what among your many musings to write about, and you don't want to bore a potential audience to death with going on and on about something that's not really that complex. I'll give you one example, that hopefully all you 70's kids will be able to relate to. My husband and my daughter spent a night wargaming a week or so ago. They brought me back a present from the game store, two figures from that childhood Christmas favorite, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", Jessica and the Burgermeister. I loooove this show, and I love the characters and I was very happy with the gift. But I also started thinking that we (70's kids!) are one of the first generations where the extra resources and the dollars are available to produce things for adults that are reminiscent of their childhood. Of course, I think the boomers were at the beginning of this phenomenon of "rebuying" your childhood, but the television specials and marketing tie-ins to said just keep getting more sophisticated. Heck, we didn't have toys for these Christmas specials when WE were little, but now we can play with the Winter Warlock and the Burgermeister Meisterburger, or Rudolph and the Abominable Snowman and a huge Santa's Castle and Workshop! Toys created just for grown-ups! What a time we live in! Too much analyzin', huh? Oh well. Guess I'll go play Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony and Barbie with my kids!

Separation

How can so many people earnestly desire to serve God and end up with so many different beliefs, doctrines, ideas? The answer, of course, is sin, and yet I still wonder how Christians can end up going in so many different directions, supposedly towards the same God. Only God can truly know a person's heart, but there are people whom I know about as well as fallen humans can know each other, who do really seem to love God, acknowledge the death of His Son for our sins, and desire to do what He wants. Yet we end up differing in so many areas, from whether to use liturgical worship to the Real Presence in the Lord's Supper. Does our pride get in the way so that we end up confusing what we want or think must be the way it should be, for what God really wants or commands? It's sad to feel a tug of separation from others, especially those you are close to, such as family members. I hope we can all seek the forgiveness of God through Jesus for mistakes we have made. I look forward to heaven where there will be no more separation.