My wife sent me this quote: ”The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.” (Abraham Lincoln)
I could argue that we have a stormy present, piled high with difficulty, yet we have not risen to the occasion (but there have been seeds of hope perceived…)
1 out of 7 children in the United States lives in poverty. (psst – I know where these children are in our city)
28 men and women have died in the city on the streets this year. (almost double of last year) Freedom died Monday night because of the cold. Freedom – who I had a few conversations with during the summer of love. Thankfully, I got to know him this summer so I got the chance to enjoy his friendship, though short term.
I have to admit that often I am not sure what to do? Anything? Everything? Speak out for justice or remain status quo with ideas like the poor you will always have with you little man. Pat myself on the head, have some hot chocolate and go to sleep and dream of a better world?
Or turn some tables over somewhere everywhere to wake up a slumbering humanity. There are times I think we should go ahead and close earth, pick the best specimens and send them to Mars for a new beginning. But, of course we know what would happen.
I ask myself, why am I in this position. There is someone better who could do better with what I have been given, someone wiser, a better people person, not so flakey – something like that. By doing this Uffizi thing, I know there would be many mistakes made, and the hope has always been that the younger will follow and do it better. I hope it is so.
But, what should be done? Should I invite Bob Dylan to town? There has to be some folk song that can solve the whole shabang.
I am having a schizophrenic Christmas – high in hope and despair. I don’t think there is a song for this one yet. Maybe I will write it by the end of the year.
It won’t help me that I want to bring justice to the slum next door. I should probably be medicated first.
Santa Barbara, you aren’t as healthy as you may pretend to be this Christmas – your underbelly is ill like it is said in Isaiah 1. And in the end, God says, “Come let us reason together, and your stains will be washed away and become like the snow…” Our poor have become invisible to us and it troubles God…
Jeff, you inspire me and no doubt so many more to see and address the issues of the poor all around us. God has also been shaking me through some time spent with a new homeless friend. Don’t for a second doubt your impact. Should you rest? of course not. But you are addressing an issue as old as civilization don’t expect it to be fixable. Actually the problem is older it’s truly an issue of the human heart,that’s one only God can solve.
God chose you for this because you are the man he wants and needs, His strength is revealed in our weakness and He brings glory to himself through our obedience.
Continue to obey with your whole self and then let God bear the weight of the results.
You rock, I’d really like to come spend some time following you around maybe bring a few from our fellowship as well.
My wife sent me this quote: ”The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present…..
угу……..