Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Pleasantly and Randomly Disturbed Thursday


Some randomly but pleasantly disturbed thoughts:

Crude oil has now shown up in the eastern end of Lake Pontchartain in Louisiana, not far from where my brother lives. The BP crude oil spill is turning into the worst man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history. This is beginning to remind me of the earthquake that struck Mexico City in 1986 – the central government was singularly unable to respond so the people took to the rubble and did the search-and-rescue themselves. And it led directly to the end of the governmental monopoly the ruling political party had enjoyed for decades.

One of the comments on my blog post last week on “Organizations and Bad Bosses” asked if, knowing what I know now, would I have done anything differently then. The answer is yes – I would have made myself even more obnoxious with management to get help for my alcoholic boss. The story did not have a good ending; the boss died before turning 40.

I’ve been reading Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer, the “Internet Monk” who shook up a lot of people in evangelical circles with his op-ed article last year in the Christian Science Monitor entitled “The Coming Evangelical Collapse.” So far, I’ve moved from distinct discomfort (I recognize too much) to close reading to a kind of wonder. It’s well worth reading, and I’ll be writing an extended article on it. Spencer died of cancer in April, but friends are maintaining and adding to his 10-year-old blog site.

Speaking of reading, on Monday I finished the 126-page volume of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Prison Poems, edited and translated by Edwin Robertson. It was published in 1999. I didn’t know he wrote poems while imprisoned by the Nazis, and now I’m spurred on to read more about him (there’s a new biography out, too). Years ago, I had read The Cost of Discipleship and I will likely reread it now. The poems are sobering. I’ll be doing a review for TweetSpeak Poetry.

Yesterday, I did a 20-mile bike ride before I went to work – leaving at 5:45 a.m. It was the coolest part of the day but I was still drenched by the time I got home. I was also verifying my field research for my post on biking Grant's Trail, and it still holds true.

We have a reunion picnic this weekend of people who live and used to live in our neighborhood. It’s that kind of neighborhood – 15 houses built in 1986 in an older suburb of St. Louis (the land was a flower and plant nursery). Reunion attendees include people who live there now (like us), people who used to live there (like former homeowners) and our grown children (and their children, in some cases). And I get to have another grandbaby fix. Speaking of which:


For several weeks now, Duane Scott has sponsored “Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays,” asking bloggers to share whatever thoughts come to mind. Check his site to see all of the other pleasantly disturbed people.

11 comments:

Red Letter Believers said...

GY
Your output is stunning...reading, writing, thinking .. and biking! You inspire me!
David

Anonymous said...

Even in your "randomness" you are a joy to read...

You have me ready to go home and pull Bonhoeffer off the shelf again...

Thanks for adding to my reading pile! :)

Unknown said...

Man...your post wasn't disturbing but it was pleasant to read!

Peace,
Jay

S. Etole said...

Very enjoyable randomness ...

Duane Scott said...

Your first paragraph is disturbing. It wasn't you. It's me. This whole oil spill scares me. I'm about to that point myself where I head out in my car and start cleaning up a small portion of that beach.

Have fun this weekend! Get your "grandpa fix." I like that.

Always a pleasure to read. :)

Helen said...

I was at a block party this weekend by a friend that was a lot like your neighborhood reunion. Have fun!

HisFireFly said...

Oil is disturbing and not at all pleasasnt.

Bad bosses are also disturbing.

Biking can be pleasant and random, picnic as well.

Thanks for the random ride this morning.

Maureen said...

You are the most polished random writer around.

Sandra Heska King said...

A pastor I used to work for gave me Bonhoeffer's Life Together. I just got it back off the shelf.

I'd love to get my hands on that baby! What a doll.

Robin Arnold said...

Cutie pie baby. Hope he gets enough kisses on top of his heady.

Here's my question. If oil is a natural substance, won't there be natural resolution? Isn't some of our cure making it worse?

Louise Gallagher said...

YOu inspire... and tire... me. How do you get so much done and in and up to in a day!!!!

Fascinating!

Hmmm. Perhaps if I quit using exclamation marks I wouldn't be so tired out!