Lightning Crashes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD8DvkVB7rk

Lightning crashes a new mother cries
Her placenta falls to the floor
The angel opens her eyes
The confusion sets in
Before the doctor can even close the door

Lightning crashes an old mother dies
Her intentions fall to the floor
The angel closes her eyes
The confusion that was hers
Belongs now to the baby down the hall

Oh now feel it, comin' back again
Like a rollin', thunder chasing the wind
Forces pullin' from
The center of the earth again
I can feel it.

Lightning crashes a new mother cries
This moment she's been waiting for
The angel opens her eyes
Pale blue colored iris
Presents the circle
And puts the glory out to hide, hide

Oh now feel it, comin' back again
Like a rollin', thunder chasing the wind
Forces pullin' from
The center of the earth again
I can feel it.

Oh now feel it, comin' back again
Like a rollin', thunder chasing the wind
Forces pullin' from
The center of the earth again
I can feel it.


Is anyone else reminded about abortion when they hear this song?


Unfortunately, according to Wikipedia, those who do are not correct:

The band dedicated the song to Barbara Lewis, a 19 year-old friend of the band who was killed in 1993 by a drunk driver who was fleeing from the police after a robbery in York, Pennsylvania. Barbara had many of her organs donated including a liver to a 10 month old baby, and the song lyrics reflect how her death enabled others to continue living. After the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, Ed Kowalczyk would frequently dedicate the song to the victims at live shows.

Just a few thoughts...

One thing I love about St. Stephens' is the stress we place on economic justice. I wouldn't call it "liberation theology" or anything like that. I wouldn't even describe it as inherently political (although BREAD does engage in political activity). Pursuing economic justice is simply part of the church's mission. People shouldn't have to be outcasted by society simply for being poor, nor should people suffer the greed of others.

So, while I am studying the financial crisis and writing about it and think it is a huge deal, I have a few sobering thoughts. 20 percent of American children were impovershed before this crisis, and once the crisis is resolved, I'm sure 20 percent of American children will still be impovershed. Homeowners may regain their homes, but many people who have never had homes will still be without homes. Millions of Americans still won't have access to health care.

C'est la vie, perhaps. It's easy to stammer on economic fairness during a real crisis - and this is a real crisis - but we as Christians have a responsibility to speak up about injustice at all times. Especially when nobody else will.

Trouble the water

I got this in my e-mail today:


"Trouble The Water," a unique & incredible documentary about the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, is opening this weekend in a few select theaters in New York & Los Angeles, and will be in theaters coast to coast very soon.

Kimberly Rivers Roberts is turns her video camera on herself and her 9th Ward neighbors trapped in the city. “It’s going to be a day to remember,” Kim says excitedly into her new camera as the storm is brewing. It’s her first time shooting video and it’s rough, and jumpy, but dense with reality. Kim’s playful home-grown newscast tone grinds against the audience’s knowledge that hell is just hours away. There is no way for the audience to warn her. And for New Orleans’ poor, there is nowhere to run.
As the hurricane begins to rage and the floodwaters fill their world and the screen, Kim and her husband Scott continue to film, documenting their harrowing voyage to higher ground and dramatic rescues of friends and neighbors.

tickets to New York screenings:
The IFC Center & Imagenation
http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=9598

tickets to Los Angeles screenings:
The Laemmle Sunset 5
http://laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=2

This is a must-see. The documentary won the 2008 Sundance Grand Jury Prize, and its premiere was described as "one of those electrifying, emotional, unforgettable experiences that captures Sundance at its very best."

Manohla Darghis of The New York Times called the film "one of the best American documentaries in recent memory."

"Trouble The Water" is directed and produced by Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine producers Tia Lessin & Carl Deal, and was funded by my pals David Alcaro & Todd Olson.

Please support this film. It'll shake you down to your toes.

The trailer can be viewed at:

http:www.troublethewaterfilm.com

The flyer for the film can be seen at:
http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/troublethewater/troublethewater_flyer_ny.pdf

If anyone is around...

Hello? Anyone alive?

When: Saturday, July 26th from 1-6 PM
Where: 6835 Caine Rd (Near the area of Sawmill Rd, I-270, and Snouffer Rd.)
Why: Help support Central Ohio Crime Stoppers find missing adults.

Because this is a fundraiser, a $5 donation will be taken at the door.

http://pearljam.dreamhosters.com/Flannagons.pdf

I plan on attending, and just thought i'd pass the information along. (Randy Shaffer is the father of Brian Shaffer, the OSU student who was last seen in the University Gateway District in the spring of 2006.)

Yesterday was the Last Day

My team finished the living room yesterday, and with the exception of the bathroom, the house is almost completely dry-walled. We won the day and celebrated appropriately (I perhaps celebrated a little too appropriately).

We are now in Nashville, staying at a hotel, and I smell a euchre game.

So many thoughts and emotions are running together and against one another that I cannot really comprehensively explain what this week has meant to all of us. Be sure to ask us about this experience when we get back.

This is the last post regarding the Mississippi trip. I write this from Nashville with love.

Peace. Goodnight. Good Luck!

Tomorrow is the Last Day

And my group will finish sheeting the living room!

Things are coming along great at the Davis home, and the food at the camp has been excellent. A few of us (not me) went to a blues concert at a local coffee shop.

I, however, remained at camp and read more of John Dower's Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. If you are interested in the Pacific War, Japan, or if you are Matt Yates, read this book.

Also, if you are Matt Yates, I'm sorry to say this, but you're bald. ;)

Thanks to Brian and Peter for being really super cool and leaving comments.

Work Days 2 & 3

Trudy's husband's name is Ed, not John, by the way. My mistake.

We have been really productive the past two days. I have personally gotten to know a fellow named Keith, a career Air Force officer and Vietnam veteran. He and another man named Howard are from the Diocese of Florida, and they are volunteering this week with us. Their guidance has been crucial to our success in rebuilding the Davis' house.

I should say something about the others here. There are almost 100 people at camp this week, over sixty of whom are in a high school church group from Illinois. A few others are from Wyoming, and a few of the leaders here are AmeriCorps volunteers. The actual on-sight leaders are Camp Coast Care staff. We have worked with two such staff: Doug and Jim. They have done an excellent job.

Last evening we walked on the beach, which was fun. Tonight the Illinois group is having a cook-out on the beach, and the rest of us will be eating burgers, hot dogs, or vegetarian alternatives here at camp.

The Gulf of Mexico is one of the more peaceful bodies of water in which I have set foot. Looking out at the scenic view, I would turn around and see probably irreparable damage done by Hurricane Katrina. In his poem "The Tyger," William Blake asks the evil, opportunistic subject, "Did he who make the lamb also make thee?" If God is responsible for the beautiful ocean, then is S/He also responsible for Katrina? Nobody is qualified to answer that question with any certainty or confidence, I think.

Work Day 1

Today, we installed insulation and dry-wall at a home of a woman named Trudy Davis. She lives with her husband, whose name I cannot remember at the moment (John, I think). It was an incredibly humbling yet life-affirming experience for all of us. Elizabeth found her inner-carpenter! She and a new friend from Casper, Wyoming were installing insulation at a gruelling and unstoppable pace! Chris and I were unable to keep up.

Afterward, there was a meeting of all the volunteers, a small worship service (I missed this part because I had to deal with financial aid issues over the internet -- thank you, Ohio State -- but thank you Camp Coast Care for providing wireless so I can deal with these issues all the way in Mississippi), and then us in the St. Stephen's group had a small meeting in which we discussed our general impressions from the day and the trip thus far. I was happy that the intellectual character of our Thursday night meetings carried over all the way to Mississippi.

It seems that an Ohio State group was already at Camp Coast Care, perhaps for an alternative spring break.


Farewell, and peace!

P.S.

Tara did NOT eat seafood last night.

Arrival at Camp Coast Care, Eating Seafood, and Walking on the Pier

After a long day of driving, we made it to Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Mississippi at around 4 PM this afternoon. Orientation was short and informative (the best news was that there was free, high speed wireless internet). We then ate at a local seafood eatery called Lookout 49, "where all the cowboys and cowgirls gather for a fun meal" (Tara's words). Afterword, we hung out on the beach and then returned to camp at around 8:15 PM.

Our group consists not only of members of St. Stephen's, but friends from different places. J.J. and Tara, who many of you probably know, are Lutheran seminarians who have been married for a few years now. Laura, whose family recently moved to Ohio from upstate New York, is an Ohio State student majoring in art education. We have had great fun getting to know one another on this wonderful trip.

Matt Yates' absence has not kept me from profusely discussing history, ideas, politics, etc.

Take care and God bless!

Our Journey to Mississippi

We reached our hotel for the evening safely in Athens, Alabama. On the way, we passed through Louisville, KY and Nashville, TN. It has been a fun trip filled with reading, sleeping, and interesting discussions.

That is all for tonight.