TURNING INTO OTHERS AS BEING "TURNED IN ON SELF"...

If blogs are the new collective way for us to publicly rant away our frustration/stress level then I may grow to love this after all. For tonight I find myself turning to what must be my (and many others) primary form of daily stress … that being life in traffic. My biggest problem – or so my therapist would suggest – is that I don’t really experience being cut off or held up as just a simple “one off” event. No for me (or my so called brain) each occurrence becomes another tile in the mosaic of all that is wrong with society and the universe. Crazy eh????

But you know quite frankly, I do have to argue that -- give or take -- I do have a bit of a point. Among the things that I find the most frustrating are the many ways human self-centredness shows itself so quickly in the ways that people act in traffic. Indeed apart from making sure that they don’t get hit by others, I wonder if people ever consider what others may be about or need as they make their way down the road. I mean sure, some may want to drive 10 or 15 kms below the speed limit because you feel safer but do they ever consider the fact that the person behind them may not be tailgating because they want to but rather because they have been called home by a frustrated wife or frightened child and are legitimately in a rush. Don’t even get me started on the “going slow in the fast lane” thing. I would like to remind folks that having a right to do something doesn’t make it right to do it – in any context.

For me there seems to be a rather sad sense that people feel that whatever is behind them doesn’t matter.

Now to be sure, I do have to admit that I drive too fast too often and I am easily frustrated. So too, I am well aware that the level that I get choked is – in a self-convicting form -- just more proof of what I’m saying. At the same time, it does seem that the enclosure of the car rather inappropriately frees people to feel that they are alone and/or primary in the world. As a Lutheran who thinks Martin was profoundly ahead of his time when he defined sin as being “curved in on yourself” I think our collective attitudes as drivers on the road (my own included obviously) is the perfect proof of how right he was.

Now clearly, I know I am not alone in my angst and that this is probably one of the most common water-cooler topics. That said, it is never a small thing to reminder ourselves that among the most critical moral-ethical learning tasks for every human being (Christian or not) is to learn they are NOT the centre of the universe. So too, as petty as much of this can seem most days, the fact is that it kills people – LITERALLY.

I once heard that a pastor friend of mine suggested that the most important piece of advice he could give a couple is “above all be at least kind”. I wonder what would happen if that became the most important rule of the road?!?!?

The Tax Man Cometh....

Let me be the first to say… I am NOT the first to say this. Dealing with the Tax folks is more frustrating than trying to figure out how to get the Caramilk into the Caramilk bar. Four years ago I had my e-file “audited” for proof that I was a pastor and that my housing deduction was fair. (Okay that happens now and then.) The next year went fine. Last year however, I had my return “audited” again to prove … that’s right that my clergy status was real and that my housing deduction was fair (along with the fact they couldn’t believe anyone would give that much in charitable donations – I suggested one proved the other but they didn’t get the joke). My return was then adjusted by $10.

Once more this year (apparently because last year’s was actually adjusted… by $10) I e-filed and I have AGAIN been asked to prove that I am a clergy, have a house and that I actually give to the church!?!?!? It would appear that they learn rather slowly OR that I am a very sophisticated criminal. I am sure, in fact, that I have more people and man-hours going over my file (searching diligently for that extra $10) than they have ever had working on Conrad Black’s file (stay away from him – he has too many lawyers on his side)!!!!!!!
Oh well… back to getting the papers together (hope this blog isn’t bugged).

A Beginning....!?!?!?

So I guess this is it...!?!?! I start a blog!?!?! What I will actually put here and what it will mean or accomplish is yet to be seen. FB, Twitter, Blogging, a Webpage, ... these are all very new tricks and I am a quite an old dog. We shall see exactly how much energy Ii am willing to put into this and what if anyone truly cares. On one level, I hope no one finds this. On another ... maybe this is where really taking the risk of writing something (other than a sermon) finally takes shape.

I guess I am vaguely curious why people really do this. Critics call it ego. Some see it as a cry for help. Others yet a whole new way of creating community. As usual, I will choose to hazard a guess that there is truth in each of those. We shall see what we shall see.

A beginning....?!?!?!?!?